


Harry Potter and the Daoine Sìth

by yesIam



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Challenge Response, Drama, M/M, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Out of Character, Romance, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-05-08
Updated: 2009-11-19
Packaged: 2018-08-19 00:18:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 41,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8181421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yesIam/pseuds/yesIam
Summary: Something different happens to Harry the night he, Hermione, Neville and Draco serve detention in the Forbidden Forest first year.  My response to lazycrazykittens creaturefic challenge on aff.net.  This is AU, everything after Harry meets Quirrell/Voldemort in the FF is disregarded. WIP.  Rated NC17 for future chapters.  This IS NOT a Star Wars Crossover!!!!  The title is pronounced Deena Shee and is Gaelic meaning People of Peace.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Note from SeparatriX, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Hex Files](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Hex_Files), which was closed for financial and health reasons. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The Hex Files collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thehexfiles/profile).

Notes:

_~The Fairy Challenge~ challenge suggested by lazycrazykitten_

_Pairing: Harry/(your choice of male character, but must be in Harry Potter books)_

_Type: Creature fic, multi-chapter_

_Summary from the original challenge: That night during first year when Harry, Hermione, and Draco were served detention for the dragon incident, Firenze never showed up. After Draco ran off, Harry was left alone with the cloaked figure. Having dropped his wand in a struggle with the cloaked figure, Harry saw no other option but to run. Unfortunately for him, he chose the wrong direction and ran further and further away from his school. After running for hours, he finally stops in a clearing filled with brightly glowing, pint-sized figures, fairies. In an effort to help Harry, one of the tiny figures uses its magic and transforms Harry into one of them. The trees become his as he lives amongst the fairies with no worries. Years later, when he  
is 16 or 17, he is finally found by the wizards who attempt to restore his human form. His size changes, but he maintains his wings and fairy-like beauty. What will the wizards think of him now?_

Author Notes: 

My pairing for this fiction will be Draco/Harry.

I am making a few modifications to the original challenge. First, Harry never reaches for his wand so he never drops it. Second, in Ireland and Scotland, at least from what I’ve read, faeries have the ability to change size at will, so Harry will not need a wizard to change him. He will be irrevocably changed. Finally, I am changing the timeline a bit to coincide with Beltane. Harry will be discovered just shy of his 16th birthday on May 1, 1996. 

This fiction assumes that the reader has read Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and begins with the night of Harry, Hermione, Neville and Draco’s detention with Hagrid in the forbidden forest. Everything is AU from after that night, CS, GF, OOTP, HBP and DH never happened.

The Gaelic used in this fiction is, hopefully, Scottish Gaelic. As I am only familiar with Irish Gaelic if anything is not quite appropriate, I do apologize. I did the Best I could with the translations.

Daoine Sìth is pronounced deena shee and means people of peace.

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

This fiction has been beta'd by smirking_muse.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

**Harry Potter and the Daoine Sìth**

 

**Prologue:**

“Away with us he’s going,  
The solemn eyed:  
He’ll hear no more the lowing  
Of the calves on the warm hillside  
Or the kettle on the hob  
Sing peace into his breast,  
Or see the brown mice bob  
Round and round the oatmeal-chest.  
For he comes, the human child!  
To the waters and the wild  
With a faery hand in hand  
From a world more full of weeping  
Than he can understand.”

Excerpt from ‘The Stolen Child’ by William Butler Yeats


~~~~~~

Tuesday, 26 May, 1992: some time after eleven o'clock p.m.…

_At last, a great crunching noise announced Hagrid's return. Malfoy, Neville and Fang were with him. Hagrid was fuming. Malfoy, it seemed, had sneaked up behind Neville and grabbed him as a joke. Neville had panicked and sent up the sparks._

_“We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you two were makin'. Right, we're changing groups – Neville, you stay with me an' Hermione, Harry you go with Fang an' this idiot. I'm sorry,” Hagrid added in a whisper to Harry, “but he'll have a harder time frightenin' you, an' we've gotta get this done.”_

_So Harry set off into the heart of the forest with Malfoy and Fang. They walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper into the forest, until the path became almost impossible to follow because the trees were so thick. Harry thought the blood seemed to be getting thicker. There were splashes on the roots of a tree as though the poor creature had been thrashing around in pain close by. Harry could see a clearing ahead, through the tangled branches of ancient oak._

_“Look—“ he murmured, holding out his arm to stop Malfoy._

_Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They inched closer._

_It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead. Harry had never seen anything so beautiful and sad. Its long, slender legs were stuck out at odd angles where it had fallen and its mane was spread pearly-white on the dark leaves._

_Harry had taken one step toward it when a slithering sound made him freeze where he stood. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered… Then out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Harry, Malfoy and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood._

_“AAAAAAAAAAARGH!”_

_Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted – so did Fang. The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at Harry – unicorn blood was dribbling down its front. It got to its feet and came swiftly toward Harry – he couldn't move for fear._

_Then a pain like he'd never felt before pierced his head; it was as though his scar were on fire. Half blinded, he staggered backward._ *1 He felt the knotty bark of a large tree press against his back, and his hands scrabbled at his forehead.

“Harry Potter…” a cold, coarse voice whispered.

Harry opened his eyes, and through his tears of pain, he watched the black-clad figure slowly remove its hood. Harry thought he knew whom he would see. He knew who was under the hood. Professor Snape had to–

He was corrected as the hood revealed Professor Quirrell.

“You!” gasped Harry.

Quirrell smiled evilly as the silver unicorn blood dripped in shiny rivulets down his chin, staining the black robes with ominously glowing spatters. However, that was not the most horrifying thing about Professor Quirrell's appearance. No, it was the sight of the hoodless, turbanless Professor Quirrell that showed the protruding face on the back of the man's head. The most terrifying face Harry had ever seen. _It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake._ *2

“Harry Potter…” the cold voice croaked again.

“Voldemort…” Harry whimpered helplessly. He tried to move backward away from the ghastly figure, but he was held still by the large oak behind him. He could not move.

_“See what I have become?” the face said. “Mere shadow and vapour… I have form now that I share this body, but soon I shall have my own body. Unicorn blood can sustain me, but once I have the Philosopher's Stone and the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own.”_ *3

The face sneered at Harry. “It is sad that you, Harry Potter, shall not live past this night to see me rise again.” The eyes glowed as if lit by a sudden flame. “You may have survived my wrath once, boy,” the face rasped, “but you will not survive it twice. Kill him!” Voldemort commanded with authority.

Quirrell was on top of Harry before the boy could think. Fingers wrapped around his neck, and pain seared through his forehead. Then, just as suddenly, it was gone.

“Master, I cannot hold him,” Quirrell shouted. “My hands, Master…” 

Harry opened his eyes and saw Professor Quirrell holding up his hands. They were burnt red-raw and blistered.

“Seize him, you fool!” Voldermort hissed.

Once again, Quirrell reached for Harry, and once again, the blinding pain threatened to split Harry's head in two. Through the haze, Harry could hear Quirrell's screams of pain even as the man's fingers squeezed tightly around his neck. He could hear Voldemort's own hisses and shouts of “KILL HIM!” Harry could feel the fingers tighten as his chest heaved and struggled to take in air. He was going to die. Killed by Voldemort, like his parents. Strength surged through Harry as his mind recounted Hagrid's tale of his parent's murders. A deep strength bellowed from his very soul.

Bile rose in his throat, and he fought back.

Reaching up, Harry grabbed both sides of Professor Quirrell's head. He grabbed and clung to the man. Quirrell's hands grasped at Harry's wrists as the man thrashed to get away. Harry only clung more tightly. He wrapped himself around Quirrell as they both fell down upon the forest floor. Harry could feel the skin melting beneath his hands, like liquid wax. He was aware of only one thing… the necessity to hold on and to not let go. The pain in his scar lashed and flamed, searing through Harry's entire body.

Even so, he did not let go.

His hands, relying purely on instinct, stayed planted firmly against Quirrell's head like a vice. Harry could hear both Quirrell and Voldemort screaming in torturous pain through the fog of his own suffering. Silence fell and the body beneath him stilled. All went blessedly black.

~~~~~

Harry woke slowly to an aching head and an awful stench. Piece by piece, the memories came back to him… Malfoy – the unicorn – Quirrell – Voldemort. Suddenly aware, Harry lurched backward, tumbling onto his backside and away from the burnt husk lying underneath him.

Panting, taking in great lungfuls of air, Harry rose to his knees and peered at the still figure beside him. The face of Professor Quirrell was unrecognizable as human, despite the lifeless eyes that stared blankly from the burnt and blistered lump of flesh. Carefully, Harry reached out and pushed at the head, turning it, so he could look at the back of the dead man's skull.

Harry gasped as he saw the shrivelled, scorched second face. Voldemort's eyes were no longer red but black and empty. Like shiny, reflective pools they gaped at him accusingly. The boy stared a long moment, taking in the slit-like nose closed and unmoving and the mouth hanging open in a silenced scream of torture and pain. Harry had done that. He had killed.

Suddenly, that one thought blazed like a curse through Harry. He had killed. The bile rose again and this time he could not fight it. He emptied his stomach violently beside the dead body as tears streamed down his face. Great heart-rending sobs of anguish and fear soon replaced his retching.

He had killed.

Guilt and shame bled from his soul as he stared at the dead man. He was a murderer. Trembling, he rose to his feet. What was he going to do? He was a killer. What would happen to him? He hadn't meant to do it. Would he be believed? Would he be forgiven? Voices began to haunt him. The voices of his aunt and uncle rose from his subconscious and wrapped around him. “Good-for-nothing – horrible boy – freak – worthless – liar – FREAK – FREAK – FREAK!”

He had to get away before anyone found him. Surely, Malfoy and Fang would have caught up with Hagrid and the others by now. He had to get away before they came for him. He would be punished. He had committed murder, even if he had not meant to – it wouldn't matter. He had done it. He had killed. The Dursleys voices continued to ring clearly in his ears. They had never believed him. No one had. He was alone. No one believed in worthless freaks.

Face pale with fright and shame, Harry turned and ran. He ran in the opposite direction Malfoy and Fang had, and he did not look back.

~~~

Harry ran as fast as he could for as long as his legs would let him. He stumbled over the craggy roots of the ancient trees and pushed through the spiny brambles. He ran deeper and deeper into the black, black forest. He could hear the creatures surrounding him, dangerous and unseen, and he ran faster. He did not know how far he had gone nor how long he had been moving. Time stilled until it stopped existing altogether. Fear caused his feet to keep moving, never stopping lest he be found or eaten by the things that surrounded him in the dark. He was exhausted, cold, and frightened, but he was determined to put as much distance between him and the dead man on the forest floor as he could.

Hours and hours later, weary and drained of strength, Harry stumbled out of the darkness and into a clearing. Robes torn and tattered, skin scraped and bleeding, Harry fell upon the soft, green grass beside a large tree. He rolled over onto his back. His glasses lost long ago, he stared up blearily into the canopy of the old Hawthorn tree. The sky was washed a silvery-gray colour, as though the sun were rising in the sky. Was it rising or finally setting? Having been in the darkness of the forest for so long, Harry could not be sure. His eyes were heavy and his lungs burned. His arms and legs felt like dead things. Slowly, achingly slowly, Harry felt his body giving into exhaustion.

~~~~~

When he awoke, it was to tinkling laughter and the softest grass he had ever felt. Through the malaise that enraptured his mind, Harry felt wispy wings brush against him.

“Sleep, little human child,” a delicate feminine voice whispered in his ear. Harry tried to open his eyes, but he could not. He was too tired. Bone weary. “Sleep…” the voice gently commanded. The sound was so lovely and kind. Harry could feel it guiding him back to slumber. He felt no panic, even as he felt soft hands tugging at his clothes, removing them. Fingers were ghosting over his bruised and battered skin, healing him, cleansing him. Sweet smelling water was poured over him, and kisses whispered against his flesh as the tinkling giggles reverberated in the background. Harry felt no malice in the touches and voices, just care and kindness, calmness and love.

“Sleep, _Beathan_.*4 All will be well,” the female spoke again.

Harry used every ounce of strength he had left to open his eyes to the most beautiful woman. Her skin was as pale and luminous as the full moon in a clear, starlit night. Her long, dark hair framed her face with wavy curls. Her eyes were the colour of the wild heather on the hillside streaked with the morning sun. Behind her, gossamer wings of enchanting greens and browns and oranges stretched out and flitted in the breeze, like the most perfect butterfly wings.

Harry couldn't help but smile. She smiled sweetly back at him as she leant down and kissed his forehead. “When you wake, Beathan, you shall be my _dalta_ ,*5 yes?” the lovely woman asked.

Harry sighed as he closed his eyes; a feeling of overwhelming love penetrated his very core. “Yes, _máthair_ ,*6” he mumbled before blackness overtook him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*1 Text is taken directly from the book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by JK Rowling, chapter 15, _‘The Forbidden Forest’_ , pages 186-187.

*2 Text is taken directly from the book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by JK Rowling, chapter 17, _‘The Man with Two Faces’_ , page 212.

*3 Text is modified from Voldemort’s original speech in the book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by JK Rowling, chapter 17, _‘The Man with Two Faces’_ , page 213.

*4 Beathan is pronounced Beh-un and means child of light.

*5 Dalta is pronounced Dahl-Tah and means foster son.

*6 Máthair is pronounced Maw-hir and means mother

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	2. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HP and the DS continues...

  
Author's notes: HP and the DS continues...  


* * *

**Disclaimer** See prologue for disclaimer.

**This fiction is beta'd by the wonderful smirking_muse.**

 

**Chapter One:**

Early morning, Saturday 29, April 1996…

Severus Snape stalked through the Forbidden Forest. His travelling pack fitted tightly against his back, dapples of sunlight dotted the ground through the dark canopy, and birdsongs echoed sweetly along the darkening path. Snape paid no heed to any of it.

He was on a mission. He had less than two days to hike to the _Camhanaich Bárd_.*1 It was a long trek through the dark wood, but he needed to arrive at his destination before midnight the following day. He carried a glass vile containing a very important potion in his satchel, wrapped in soft wool. The potion needed just one more crucial thing to guarantee its success: the blessing of the faery queen at the height of Beltane. He had high hopes that _Gyre-Carlin_ *2 would grant his request.

The dark-haired professor strode confidently and was not hindered by the wildlife around him. The magic he radiated scared away the lesser creatures, and the dark creatures were not a problem as they seldom wandered in the daylight hours. The centaurs had been much easier to deal with in recent years. The changes in the wizarding world had given them peace at last, and they no longer pestered wizards in the forest. 

He hiked for several miles before the uneasiness crept up on him. He was positive that he was being followed. The question was who or what was keeping a careful pace with him. After the next bend in the path, Severus quickly but quietly stepped into the darkness of the bushes just off the main trail. There he waited. The hairs prickled at the back of his neck as he heard the approaching, not so stealthy footfalls. A hooded figure passed and then stopped in confusion. Severus watched as the person turned to look in the opposite direction. Then they turned to face Severus, and he was able to glimpse who was under the hood. Anger flared in his chest. 

“DRACO MALFOY, you idiot boy!” he snarled, stepping back onto the path. The young man jumped back, frightened by his professor’s sudden appearance. The boy had the good sense to cringe guiltily when he recognised the angry man.

“I instructed you to remain at Hogwarts, you foolish child!” Severus stormed up to the boy, and grabbing his arms, he shook him none too gently. “This is no Sunday stroll down the lane, Draco. I have no time for your antics.” Faced with Severus' wrath, the boy paled considerably as his hood slipped off to reveal his white-blond hair.

“I want to help!” he yelped.

“Helping would have been doing as I said, NOT disobeying me!” Snape looked toward the sky and let out a huge sigh. He did not have time for this. It was several hours walk back to the safety of Hogwarts. He could not let the boy return on his own, and he could not afford to take him back himself. Snarling, Severus mumbled a few choice curses under his breath as his fingers dug into the boy's arm.

“Please, Severus, let me come?” Draco pleaded. “I’ve assisted with the potion up until now. Please… I only want to – to see its completion,” he stammered.

“You only want to see the faeries, Draco,” Snape snapped. “Do not endeavour to lie to me.” Severus glared icily at the young man. He had known Draco all of the young man's life. Curiosity was the boy's downfall time and time again. Nevertheless, it was also one of his strengths. It was, in fact, his curiosity that made him so talented at potions. Severus could not fault Draco's desire to see the Daoine Sìth. They were legendary and rarely seen by wizards. The simple nymphs that lit wizarding Christmas trees were not the faeries of the old tales. They were mere sprites. The Daoine Sìth, however, were the true faeries. Their magic was unimaginable. They could be both kind and spiteful, depending on their mood. A wizard had to keep his wits about him, when confronting the Sìth.

Truth to be told, Severus was nervous about approaching them himself. Perhaps the boy's company would provide an alternate focus and allay some of his current worries. Besides, the Sìth often favoured young humans. The boy may have some use after all. It mattered not, since Snape really had no choice but to allow the boy to tag along.

Heaving one last heavy sigh, Snape pushed the boy away. “I do not have any choice now, but to allow you come along. Too much time would be wasted if I took you back, you foolish, impudent boy! You will keep up and not slow me down or hinder me in any way, or so help me, Draco Malfoy, I will leave you behind.” 

Draco grinned eagerly. “I promise, Severus, I'll be good!” he said cheerfully.

“And no talking!” Snape barked. “I've had enough of your fallacious banter in the past three days to last me the rest of the year.” Draco nodded his head solemnly and made the motion of buttoning his lip.

“Reckless child!” Snape groused as he turned and stalked off to follow the path. Draco traipsed happily after him.

As they continued further into the wood, the light faded to give the impression of dusk despite that it was just before noon. They walked for another half an hour before they reached a small clearing. In the middle of the clearing, a marble obelisk jutted out in sharp contrast to the dark-dead leaves on the ground. Draco immediately recognised the place and approached the monument. He read the words aloud…

“Here in the early morning of the Twenty-Seventh of May, in the year Nineteen-hundred and Ninety-two, Harry James Potter defeated the Dark Wizard Voldemort for the last time. Our hearts travel with Harry, wherever he may be.”

Draco turned toward the older wizard, his face sombre. “Do you suppose Potter’s still alive, Severus?”

Snape paused, remembering that night with clarity. His Dark Mark had burned unlike ever before. The pain was like a ten-fold, magnified Cruciatus curse. He had believed he would die, but then, just as suddenly as the pain had flared, it ended. That must have been the moment that Potter had killed the Dark Lord. No one knew how the boy had done it or why he had disappeared, but the Headmaster was certain the child had survived, and the record books at Hogwarts agreed. His name was still on the roster, and each year, his letter was sent out only to return, undelivered.

The Dark Mark on Snape’s left arm had since faded until it was barely perceptible. As had Lucius Malfoy's and all other living Death Eaters. It was proof that the Dark Lord was well and truly gone forever, defeated by a child of no more than eleven.

The night the Dark Lord perished was the greatest of Severus Snape's life. Once the pain had ended and his wits were about him, a sense of overwhelming relief had washed through his body. 

He was free. 

Free from slavery to the Dark Lord. He could finally live a life unencumbered by darkness and fear. And he had to a certain degree. While not exactly happy, he was no longer as bitter a man as he had been. Oh, he was still a snarky, nasty bastard, but it was better tempered now. He remained the feared Potion's Master at Hogwarts, but he was now able to finally pursue other interests, to live unfettered and unbound. 

The Malfoys had been freed as well. The happy boy that had followed him into the wood this morning was a shining example of a life no longer tainted by darkness. The Malfoys were the primary reason for this sojourn into the Forbidden Forest. Narcissa Malfoy wanted to give her son a brother or sister. She and Lucius had been trying nearly four years without success. Snape had discovered that the long-bourn Dark Mark was preventing conception. The precious potion he carried with him was the best hope left to the Malfoy family.

So many lives had changed for the better on that fateful night. 

Severus felt sorry that the boy-hero had not returned after his victory. He would have liked to thank him, a bitter pill though that might be. Severus Snape owed his freedom to a Potter. He grimaced at the thought.

“Severus…” Draco interrupted.

Momentarily startled, Severus blinked down at the stone before looking back toward the youth beside him. “The Headmaster believes strongly that the boy still lives,” he answered. “I am hopeful he is correct in that estimation.”

“Where do you believe he is then?” the boy quizzed.

“I don't know, Draco. I do know that his name still appears on the Hogwarts roster and that Gringott’s confirms, somehow, that he is not deceased. We can only hope that one day, he will return.” Severus said solemnly. “I would like to thank him,” he voiced aloud his earlier thought.

Draco nodded, evidently in agreement with the Potion’s master. 

Silently, they left the clearing and entered the darkness again. They walked for several more miles that day, stopping only for a bit of tack and water. They didn’t converse much, since each seemed lost in his own thoughts. When dusk approached, Severus stopped at a small opening in the tangled brush by a stream.

“We'll rest here for the night,” he said seriously as he removed the heavy pack from his shoulders. "Start a small fire, while I set up the tent, Draco. Then we shall both set the wards for the night.” Draco did as he was told. Without a word, he gathered dead logs from the undergrowth, arranging them in front of the tent Severus had produced from his bottomless pack. A simple Incendio charm and the fire began to warm the surrounding area. The two wizards then set about establishing the wards that would protect their small home for the night. Severus taught Draco the strongest wards used to fend off the dark creatures that roamed and slithered in these woods.

As the sun set, the forest grew colder and blacker. They sat together before the fire and ate a simple supper of bread, cold ham and cheese. Snape watched as the boy's eyes darted towards every noise issued from the depths of the forest. The boy wanted an adventure, and now he had one. There were fouler things than wolves in these trees. Nevertheless, the wards would protect them for the night— of that, Severus Snape was sure. As they sat eating the cold meal and drinking their pumpkin juice, Severus relaxed enough that Draco must have felt he could speak freely…

“Professor, do you believe the Gravid Fortuna will work?” he asked timidly.

Snape stared into the fire contemplatively. “If the Queen blesses the potion, then yes, Draco, I believe you will have the little sister you so desperately desire.”

The boy's face sparkled momentarily with happiness. “That would be brilliant, though I know for a fact that father wishes for another boy. Mother and I want a girl.”

“Yes, so you've told me,” Snape mused, a slight grin pulling at the corners of his mouth, “again and again and again. I've heard of nothing else for the past two weeks, Draco. I hope you will be so content when the babe is keeping you up nights screeching or when she spews sour-milk all over your brand new robes.” Draco snorted in amusement.

“It would be well worth a few ruined robes to have a baby sister, Severus.”

“So you say now, Draco. We shall see.” Severus rose from the ground, dousing the flames with his wand. “Come. We best sleep while we can. We've a long road yet that will require an early start.”

~~~~~~

The two wizards had travelled far by mid-day. Severus was sure they would make Camhanaich Bárd by late afternoon. The path was hard, thick with brush and spiny bramble. Despite the early spring chill, they both were dewed with sweat. Draco was just ahead of Snape when the boy stopped short unexpectedly. His eyes fixed on an old frayed bit of cloth tangled in the undergrowth.

“Severus,” he said, his voice quivering.

“Blessed be, Draco!” Snape scowled as he crashed into the back of the youth. 

Draco pulled at the tattered cloth until it came free and shoved it into Snape's face. The professor took it, growling his dissatisfaction. The remnant was weather faded and worn, but the cloth bore the unmistakable symbol of Gryffindor House. Severus' eyes narrowed as he examined it. Draco gasped again before he bent over and plucked something off the ground. As the youth turned back toward Snape, the man noted the child's face was pale and his eyes wide. Draco held up a small pair of shattered, rounded spectacles. Snape felt his heart quicken as the glasses were gently deposited in his out-stretched palm. He had seen glasses like this before.

“Potter,” he whispered. Could it be that this tattered bit of cloth and broken glass and metal had come from Harry? Snape could not fathom how the small, waif-like boy could have made it alone this far into the forest. The path was untraveled and the wood thick with unimaginable terrors. There were no signs of anyone having come this route before, though. Could it be Potter's? Severus shook his head. He had no time for this. He glanced up at Draco. 

“Keep moving, Draco,” he said calmly.

“But…” the boy began to protest. Severus held up his hand. 

“I agreed to let you go with me on the condition that you not impede my progress, Draco. We must keep moving. We will take these back to Hogwarts.” He tucked the broken glasses and bit of cloth into his cloak pocket. “Move along now,” he demanded, in a tone that allowed for no arguments.

They pushed on as uneasiness settled over them, each, no doubt, thinking of the young, dark-haired boy who had disappeared so long ago. 

As the sun began to wane in the sky and the air to chill once more, they broke through the trees of the Forbidden Forest. There before them lay the Camhanaich Bárd. The great old Hawthorn rising from the middle of the lush green meadow, the very top of the tree lit like a flame with the last rays of the setting sun.

Snape turned to the boy. “Do not speak unless spoken to. One does not play with the Daoine Sìth. They are notoriously finicky and vengeful. Mind me, Draco,” Snape said gravely. “This is not a game. If we fail, we could lose more than just your chance for a sibling.” Draco nodded, his eyes darting all around the clearing, searching for evidence of the legendary Sìth.

Severus set down his pack. Opening it, he took out an ornately carved wooden box. Reverently, he approached the ancient hawthorn and knelt before it, the young man following him. From within the box he produced several items; first he brought forth and laid boughs of soft scented pine and made a bed of them upon the ground. He then carefully laid on the scented bed a large, intricately carved, and recently polished amulet of Connemara marble. Beside the marble he set a moonstone that was immaculate, as large as his fist, rare, and quite valuable. He then took from the box ripe oranges and tart lemons, figs and persimmons, arranging them around the boughs. One large, flawless sapphire stone and one equally large and flawless emerald stone were then placed upon the pine. Finally, he carefully placed one perfect white rose in the centre of the grouping. Snape noted that Draco recognised the flower from the Malfoy gardens. Narcissa had cultivated it herself, cared and perfected this one bloom. She then preserved it magically as her personal offering to the faery queen. 

Snape stood and brushed off his robes. He pulled out his wand and cast a cleansing charm over himself and Draco, and then, flicking his wand once more, he caused the wrinkles to disappear from both their clothes. Draco stared nervously into his Professor's face. Snape answered the unspoken question softly.

“Now, we wait.”

~~~~~~

And wait, they did. 

Draco stood beside his Professor and waited and waited and waited. It seemed days long. His stomach rumbling and his feet throbbing, he began to fidget. He could not help himself. Snape reached out and grasped his wrist, squeezing it in reprimand. Draco huffed. How long must they wait? The sun had set and the clearing was dark. The only light piercing the sky was from the bright stars above them. It was getting cold. He was hungry. His feet hurt. His nose itched. He was just about to open his mouth and complain whole-heartedly when the air crackled around them with invisible energy. Magic!

There was magic on the wind. Drifting, it came down from the branches of the great, old hawthorn above them. The branches vibrated with it. They glowed. Draco was in awe. The intensity of this magic nearly overwhelmed him, and he stood rooted to the damp grass. Delicate voices and dainty bodies flitted down from the tree. As one, the winged beings rushed about the two wizards, surrounding them in a glowing circle. Tiny wings brushed against their skin, soft voices laughed and giggled, and Draco swore he heard one sweet voice whisper into his ear, “Hullo, Draco.”

Just as suddenly as the storm of wings had surrounded them, they retreated, flitting in and out of the branches above their heads. One of the wee folks hovered over the offering Snape had carefully laid, as though inspecting it before it zipped back to the top of the tree.

Moments later, a bright light flashed before the two wizards. Draco was temporarily blinded with black spots; he turned and saw Severus’ gaze was unwavering, though Draco’s eyes blinked desperately to clear his vision. The older wizard bowed his head and knelt down upon the grass, dragging Draco to his knees by the wrist he still firmly held. Clumsily, Draco sank, nearly falling over. A faery that was still hovering near him giggled at his folly. Draco scowled, but as he turned back to face the tree, he realised immediately why his professor had knelt.

There before them, the faery queen of Scotland, Gyre-Carlin. She was even lovelier than Draco had dared to imagine. She shone in the darkness, lighting the field before her. She was beauty incarnate. Her dress was made of dew hung spider silk, nearly translucent. In her flowing, chestnut hair, a daisy chain glistened as if made from the finest jewels. Upon her face rested a delicate smile. She stepped toward them, and her voice was like music as she greeted them.

“ _Ceud Mìle Fàilte,_ *3 Dark and Light,” she said, spreading her arms, “you come before the Great Tree. Your offering is set before you. Tell me what it is you wish from me?”

Severus looked up. Draco was sure his voice quivered as he answered. “Great Queen of the Scottish highland, we come seeking a blessing on this the eve of the Beltane, the night of renewal and rejoicing. We come most humbly to ask the queen of the Peaceful People to share her power with one who desperately seeks a child.” Snape lowered his head, and Draco followed suit.

Draco heard a rustling at his ear. Delicate wings brushed against his cheek once more as dainty feet alighted upon his shoulder. Draco dared not turn his head to look. The queen's tinkling laughter filled the air.

“Your young one, Professor Snape, has the interest of my dear dalta.”

Snape's head jerked up, shock etched onto his face. “You know my name?” he gasped.

“Aye, I know many things,” she said mischievously. “But it is not to me you are known, Dark one. It is from the words of my beloved dalta that I know your calling.” She nodded her head toward Draco where the tiny faery had chosen to stand upon his shoulder. “ _Dubhsìth_ *4 appears to be enamoured with the young one you brought with you.” Her laughter rang in the air as the tiny one flew off her perch and buzzed about the queen's crown angrily, before flitting back and sitting on Draco's shoulder with a barely perceptible “harrumph.”

The sound of a multitude of tiny voices laughing vibrated all around the two wizards. Draco chanced to turn his head and look at the small being sitting petulantly by his ear. Except for the dark-hair, Draco could barely make out the tiny features through the creature’s ambient glow. The faery had her arms folded across her chest and her legs crossed, one foot bouncing up and down with annoyance. Clearly, the little one was pouting. Draco couldn't help but snicker; the faery gave him an indignant look before turning her head away with a second “harrumph.”

Snape, meanwhile, was dumbstruck. His eyes focused on Gyre-Carlin. She stepped closer and knelt down. She looked over the offering, the gentle smile never leaving her dainty mouth. Reaching down, she picked up the one perfect rose, bringing it to her nose.

“Tell me why I should grant this blessing?” she asked. Snape began to answer before she held up her hand to stop him. “Not you, Dark one; I would like Draco Malfoy to answer. Before you ask, yes, he is known to me also. It was foretold that you both would be coming to us this night.” She gave them both an amused glance before focusing her attention on Draco. “So, come now, Beathan, tell me about this little sister you so desperately desire?”

Draco gasped as his eyes locked with Gyre-Carlin's periwinkle-coloured orbs. He felt her enter his mind and could not stop her as she bore into his thoughts, into his soul. He could feel her presence laying bare all his deepest, darkest desires. The intrusion should have frightened him, but it didn't. It was as though the queen was caressing him, loving him. He felt weightless and timeless, as though bathing in cooling waters. After several moments, Draco felt the queen gently pull away. He nearly sobbed when her presence left him.

Gyre-Carlin gave a sigh of contentment. “I am inclined to give you what you seek this night, Dark one.” she said cryptically, her attention focusing on Snape. The queen stood then and glanced over to the faery still sitting upon Draco. “Show yourself, Dubhsìth. It is not polite to keep our guests wondering.”

The small faery stood then and flew off toward the queen. The creature hovered in the air for just a moment before there was another, dimmer, flash of light. This time Draco closed his eyes. When he opened them next, the person he saw stole his breath away.

It was not a girl faery at all! By Merlin, Draco was enraptured! A delicate, beautiful boy stood beside the queen, as naked as the day he was born. 

Draco licked his lips as he drank in the vision in front of him. The boy-faery was ethereal in his beauty. He did not glow as intensely as the queen did, but shimmered slightly with an amber hue. His skin was completely unblemished and creamy white. The hair surrounding his heart-shaped face was as black as pitch and stuck out at odd angles. The pellucid wings, which framed his androgynous body, were coloured with iridescent greens, browns, and creams; they were delicate and other-worldly. Draco allowed his eyes to wander over the boy. His body was lithe and without any discernable body hair. A slender waist led to delicate hips. His pink, delicious-looking cock nestled flaccidly against his darker rosy-pink, hairless balls. The boy had slender legs with slightly knobby knees, delicate fingers and arms, dusky nipples, flat belly, and a long, graceful neck. Draco looked up into the face of the beautiful boy. He possessed kissable, ruby lips beneath a dainty upturned nose, and his ears were tiny and slightly pointed. His striking eyes were large and expressive, and as green as the grass in the meadow, they were framed by long, thick, curling, black lashes and elegantly arched brows. Draco's eyes drifted up further to the faery-boy's forehead to see a small, lightning bolt scar…

Draco gasped as Snape rasped. “Harry Potter!”

The queen turned to the boy. “Clothe yourself, Dubhsìth! This is not polite,” she chastised light-heartedly.

With the back of his free hand, Draco wiped the drool that had dibbled down his chin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*1 Camhanaich Bárd pronounced Coam-han-a-eesh bah-ard means twilight(dawn) meadow.

*2 Gyre-Carlin pronounced Gay Car-a-leen. ‘Tis the name of the fae queen of the Scots highland.

*3 Ceud Mìle Fàilte pronounced kee-ut meeluh fal-tchuh means a hundred thousand welcomes and is an old Gaelic greeting

*4 Dubhsìth pronounced Doov-hee means Black one of Peace old Scottish name and Harry’s fae name in this fiction. Though he will mostly be referred to as Harry

~~~~~~~~~


	3. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HP and the DS continues

  
Author's notes: HP and the DS continues  


* * *

**Disclaimer:** See prologue for disclaimer.

This fiction is beta'd by **smirking_muse** and I thank her for her help and guidance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

**Chapter Two:**

 

“Oops,” Harry giggled. With a wave of his hand gossamer spider-silk trousers covered his nudity. “Sorry, mamaí,” he mumbled, looking sheepish. “I always forget that.” Gyre-Carlin smiled indulgently, opening her arms to the boy. Snape and Draco watched as Harry rushed to her. The two faeries embraced warmly with familial tenderness.

“No matter, Harry,” she said, kissing his forehead, “Come, now, let's show our guests how the Sìth celebrate the _Oidhche_ *1 Bealltainn!” Harry bristled excitedly and skipped toward the two wizards. He grabbed hold of one of their hands each, pulling them to their feet.

“Come on,” he shouted, “Come on, follow me!”

Severus made to protest, but Harry's exuberance won him over and off they went. Harry dragged Snape and Draco past the old Hawthorn tree to the field beyond. They could see the bonfires set up there, waiting to be lit. The other faeries were busy preparing the celebration. Some of them were in their larger form, setting up a feast of food and drink. Daisy chains were showering to the ground amidst magic sparks from smaller faeries in the air. Neither Snape nor Draco had ever seen the like. 

Harry pulled them through the crowd to follow the faery queen. He turned to smile brilliantly at them now and then. His jubilance was so infectious that even Snape found himself smiling in delight— until he realised what he was doing and firmly put a scowl back in place.

There were things that needed to be discussed. The boy that had been missing, now found, had a world awaiting his arrival. Severus was not about to let this be forgotten. He would need to have a long, hard discussion with Gyre-Carlin and Mister Potter. For now, though, he allowed himself to be led by the joyful faery-boy.

They walked through the throng of Sìth to the centre of a bonfire ring where the largest were assembled to await the lighting time. Just in front of them lay a blanket of flowers where the faery queen stopped to settle herself. Her shimmering dress was strewn elegantly around her. She motioned for Harry to bring himself and their guests up to join her. Snape was awed once again. He was going to share in the celebration side by side with Gyre-Carlin. In his wildest fantasies, he could never have imagined such an honour as this.

Harry bounded forward, pulling along his two erstwhile companions.

“Sit with me,” Carlin said to Severus, patting the place beside her. “Don't be shy now.” 

Harry let go of his hand and gently shoved the man forward. “Go on,” he said with a wink, “She likes you, Professor.” Snape scowled at the boy before moving to settle himself stiffly beside the beautiful woman.

“There. See, not so difficult, Dark one.” Carlin looked at Snape. “I must say you have kept me waiting…”

“Whatever do you mean?” Snape interrupted.

“Ah,” Carlin responded, “that is a long tale best left for later.” Her eyes were alight with mischief, causing Snape no small amount of unease. A mischievous faery was never a good thing.

She turned her attention towards the two boys. Harry was attempting to convince Draco to join him on the far edge of the flower blanket. Draco, apparently, felt that he had not been invited and was refusing to cooperate. The two adults looked at one another, sharing amused looks. Harry, meanwhile, appeared to be getting annoyed. Carlin settled the matter instantly.

“Draco Malfoy! Sit with Harry, you silly wizard! Have you not yet realised who he is?” Draco nervously shook his head and shrugged his shoulders, glancing at Harry in confusion. The queen turned toward Severus. “Does the boy truly not realise he's insulting my son?”

Draco paled at the words. He dropped down inelegantly on the edge of the carpet, stunned. Harry smiled goofily and flopped down beside him. “'Bout time,” he muttered.

Snape nearly laughed at the graceless act but held his tongue; instead, he turned to the queen. “Son?” he asked, one dark eyebrow arching. She merely nodded.

“Am I to receive any explanation at all?” he said, crossing his arms over his chest petulantly.

Carlin smirked at the Potion’s Master. “Oh, Dark one, fear not. You shall, you shall. For now, I believe we'll let the two boys enjoy the celebration.” Snape nearly balked, but her eyes told him that he would indeed be getting all his answers if he was patient.

~~~~~~

Draco swallowed nervously. His eyes tried to take in all they could. He felt completely out of place, yet so much at home, with Harry. He turned to watch the pretty boy settle himself amongst the flowers. Harry was so relaxed, lounging like a prince upon his throne. Draco could hardly believe that this petite, elegant faery was the same clumsy, awkward boy he had met all those years ago.

Harry's eyes never moved away from Draco, making him all that much more jittery. The silence loomed between the two, but Potter seemed not to care in the least. Eventually, a pretty, dark-haired girl-faery approached the two youths, interrupting the uncomfortable stillness. She carried a tray of refreshments and smiled broadly at the two boys, “ _Bràthair_ *2, dandelion wine for you and your companion?” 

Harry stood and took her tray, setting it down on the blanket, “Join us, _Sorcha_ *3,” he told her with a soft smile. Draco stood to greet the new faery. 

“I shall introduce you,” Harry said calmly, “Draco, this is my _siúr_ *4, er… my sister, Sorcha. Sorcha, this is Draco Malfoy. I knew him from before, but we didn't like each other then.” Harry frowned slightly at the memory, but the other two ignored the awkward last comment. The girl extended her hand, and Draco grasped it.

“Draco Malfoy. We knew you were coming,” she said with a glint in her blue eyes.

“So I heard,” Draco mumbled in response before catching himself. “It's nice to meet you, Sorcha,” he said formally, bowing slightly. 

The faeries both giggled. “So formal, Doov, how ever shall you stand him!” Harry gave his sister a dark look. “Don't worry, little bràthair, I won't embarrass you tonight,” she snickered slightly, “Not much anyway.” Harry pouted more. By the gods, Draco wanted nothing more then to kiss that pout away. The boy had no idea about the effect he was having on Draco.

The three sat as Harry handed each a cup of wine. Draco sniffed at it indifferently. He'd never had a wine made from flowers before. Harry laughed, “It’s not poison, Malfoy.” He took a sip from his own glass. “It's really good, trust me.” Oddly enough, Draco did trust Harry.

~~~~~~

Carlin leaned close to Snape's ear, making the dark man slightly uncomfortable. “That one is Sorcha,” she whispered, pointing to the young girl who had joined Harry and Draco, “my daughter and Harry's sister.” 

Snape's eyes narrowed as he watched the female faery sitting with Draco and Harry. “Do they not look alike?” 

In truth, they did look startlingly similar. The girl possessed the same pitch-black hair with a mind of its own, though somewhat tamer than Harry's unruly mop. They had the same heart-shaped face, and even their builds were similar. Regardless, Harry still had Lilly's eyes, nose, and high cheek bones. The girl, Sorcha, had familiar hazel eyes Snape could not place, but her nose was Carlin's. Nevertheless, their mouths were very similar- Harry's slightly more expressive, but alike none the same. As he carefully observed the two fae, they turned toward him and Carlin to smile. Severus' eyes widened in surprise – by the gods, they did look like siblings!

Snape turned to the queen, “How?”

She laughed and handed Snape a cup of wine from the nearby attendant. “Of course, Sorcha's father is James Potter, Dark one,” she stated as though it was common knowledge. Snape nearly dropped his cup and would have fainted, would it not have been undignified.

“I suppose you are going to tell me that this, once again, is a long tale that will have to wait?” Snape snarled at the queen. He was incensed. The girl looked to be no older than the two boys. James Potter had been unfaithful to Lilly! Severus had been friends with Lilly, and in truth, he had loved her. Potter had stolen her away from him! That bastard had taken the only woman he had truly ever loved, and _then_ , he had the audacity to slip off and have an affair with Gyre-Carlin! Severus was furious. The queen laid her hand upon his arm, rubbing it soothingly. 

“Calm yourself, Professor; I know what you are assuming…”

“Get out of my head,” he hissed, taking a large swig from the wine.

“…Sorcha was born four years before Harry, Severus,” she continued as though he had not interrupted her. “She was conceived at the end of James' fifth year.” Snape drew a ragged, calming breath. That, at least, was comforting. “James had no idea he had a daughter. Actually, I would venture to say he believed our encounter a dream.”

“Why are you telling me this?” he asked.

“Oh, we need something to pass the time,” she said, casually waving her hand. Carlin leaned back, lounging on one elbow. “Come! Relax, eat, and drink with me, Severus, and perhaps I shall tell you the tale.” Snape glowered, but he really wanted to stand up and rage. James Potter not only took Lilly's love, but he had also been with the beauty beside him. His jealousy of James flared anew. Potter had always had all the luck. And Snape had hated him for it. “Severus…” Carlin's melodic voice interrupted his morose thoughts, “Come and eat with me.” She handed him a plate of food and filled his cup with wine.

Snape took another long draught from the glass, before looking into Carlin's eyes. The woman was well and truly the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Her presence had a soothing effect on him, something even Lilly had never managed. She smiled affectionately at him, and he found himself leaning back on the ground, lounging! Bewitched! That was what he was. Bewitched by the Faery Queen of Scots! By Merlin, this was becoming a strange and wondrous journey.

~~~~~~

“I suppose mamaí is telling your Professor Snape about us, Doov,” Sorcha said. Draco looked confused as the two faeries turned and smiled broadly at the two adults. They both laughed madly as Snape's face paled, and he nearly dropped his drink. “Well, I must be off,” she said, standing. “Do try and dance tonight, Harry. And don't scowl so.”

“I hate dancing!” Harry replied as she disappeared into the crowd. 

Harry huffed and flopped down on his back, wings spread out behind him. “Isn’t that uncomfortable?” Draco asked, considering the delicate wings. 

“Nah,” Harry replied, “You get used to them. They’re actually quite comfy.” He demonstrated this by stretching his arms up to touch the tips of his wings. Draco felt a tightening in his nether region as he watched Harry's lithe body stretch tightly and his gossamer trousers slip a fraction lower. He cleared his throat and looked away, distracting himself by watching the activity around them. He could hear highland music playing close by. Winged faeries, some clothed and some unashamedly nude, were dancing or sitting nearby, simply talking, eating, or drinking. Little faery children were running in between the pyres of wood, laughing merrily as they chased each other with silky ribbons tied to the top of poles.

Draco glanced back at Harry. The boy was scrutinising him through half-lidded eyes. Draco realised that Harry had been watching him intensely since they had sat down. It was beginning to annoy him. “What are you looking at?” he asked snidely.

“You.”

“What about me, Potter?”

Harry sat up and then moved to kneel directly in front of Draco. He leaned close, so that he was nose to nose with the blond boy. “You are very beautiful, Draco Malfoy,” he whispered simply. 

Draco felt his face heat with embarrassment. As he turned his head away, he heard Harry's infectious giggle and felt him lie back down on the ground. “'S nothing to be embarrassed about, Malfoy,” Harry said, closing his eyes.

Draco sneered down at the boy. “Shut it, Potter.” They sat in strained silence once again until Draco's curiosity overpowered his nervousness.

“Tell me something, Harry— how’d you end up here? What happened to you that night?”

Harry opened his eyes and smirked up at the other boy, “Took you long enough. I assumed that you and Professor Snape would corner me and demand answers first thing. I'm surprised he's being so patient. Then again, Máthair can be very persuasive when she wants to be.” Harry sat up and crossed his legs in front of him. He considered his words for a long moment before beginning to answer Draco. “What do you remember of that night, Draco?” he asked.

Draco raked his hands through his hair and sighed. He leaned back on his elbows, stretching his long legs in front of him and crossing his ankles. He squinted up at the boy beside him. “I – I remember that monster drinking from the unicorn, and I – I – I… Look, Harry, I really am sorry I left you there alone that night!” he blurted.

Harry grinned ruefully. “Are you sorry that Voldemort died, or that you left me?” Harry lay down beside Draco and turned toward him to rest on one elbow.

“Merlin, Potter! I'm sorry I left you alone! I can't imagine how afraid you must have been.” Draco rolled over to face the dark-haired faery. “When I finally found Hagrid and the others, and we got back to that clearing, and you were gone…” Draco swallowed nervously. “I was so scared for you, Harry. When we saw – when we saw what was left of Quirrell- gods, it was awful, and you were nowhere to be found. Granger just about had kittens, she was so upset. Hagrid had to take us back to the castle, and by the time they assembled a search party, you were long gone. No one could find you. They searched for weeks and weeks.” 

Draco stared into the green eyes in front of him. “Dumbledore kept insisting you were still alive, and Snape said you were too, but no one could find even a _trace_ of you. What happened, Harry? Why did you run away?”

Harry sighed. “When you left, Quirrell confronted me— only, he wasn't Quirrell, or I should say that he wasn’t _just_ Quirrell,” Draco nodded his head, remembering the awful two-faced, dead thing on the forest floor. Harry continued, “He had Voldemort sticking out the back of his head. It was horrible.” Harry's free hand rubbed at the scar on his forehead. “My scar hurt something awful, and then Voldemort told Quirrell to kill me! He grabbed me and began to choke me, but then Quirrell screamed and pulled away. For some reason he couldn't touch me— his skin burned when he did. Even so, Voldemort ordered him to kill me, and he started to choke me again. I really thought I was going to die. Like my parents.” Harry paused, his eyes clouded with memories as he tried to organise his thoughts. “I don't really know what happened, Draco. Somehow or other I knew that if I grabbed hold of Quirrell and just hung on, I could make him stop. I took hold of Quirrell's head and just wouldn't let go.” Harry locked his eyes with Draco's as he continued. “The pain was terrible, my scar… It – it hurt so badly I thought my head would split apart. I can't recall what happened next, except I must've blanked out and when I woke, they were dead.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What do you suppose they are talking about?” Severus asked Carlin in a low voice as he leaned toward her, motioning toward the two boys.

“I would imagine that Harry is telling Draco what happened the last night he saw him,” she answered just as quietly. Severus looked up sharply. He saw sadness and concern in the pale, pretty face beside him. 

“I would like to know as well,” he said.

Carlin smiled sadly. “Ah, Professor, that is Harry's tale to tell. In truth, he has only ever spoken of it once with me.” She rolled over onto her stomach, her head resting in her hands. She looked up at Severus through her dark lashes. Severus felt his breath catch as heat pooled in his belly. “Harry was close to death when he arrived here in the meadow,” she said, her eyes seductively bright as they roamed over the dark man. “Luckily, I knew he would be coming that night.”

Not used to being scrutinised so intensely, Severus cleared his throat uncomfortably. “How did you know?” he asked, his own eyes looking nervously away from the enchanting periwinkle pools.

“I saw it in a dream,” she answered simply. 

“A dream!?” Severus growled incredulously.

“Aye. A dream. Surely you understand that some of the Daoine Sìth are gifted with foresight?” He nodded. “I have that gift— though to a lesser degree than some. My dreams are not always so clear, and I often have to seek the seers to interpret them properly. Others, however, are very clear.”

“Like the night Harry arrived here?” he asked.

“Yes, like that night and also, like this night.” He glanced down at her sharply. Carlin smirked playfully at him. “I knew you would finally arrive, Dark one, and that you would have Draco with you.”

Before Severus could respond to that intriguing statement, Gyre-Carlin rose suddenly, holding her hand out to the surly man. “Come, let us gather the boys. It's nearly midnight, and we have a potion to bless, have we not?”

Severus allowed himself to be pulled to his feet, scowling at the remaining inevitability of being able to complete the puzzle before him. He was no closer to solving it than he had been when he first laid eyes on Harry standing with the Queen.

~~~~~~~~~

Draco scooted closer to Harry. He wanted desperately to reach out and wrap his arms around the other boy. He wanted to comfort him, but he wanted answers more. “Why'd you run away, Harry?”

Harry flipped onto his back, and as he did, the edge of his wing brushed against Draco, causing the blonde to shiver at the light touch. Harry stared into the night sky. Draco watched the boy carefully as an array of emotions played across Harry's face. The boy's eyes were glistening in the dim light, and stars sparkled down to reflect in the green depths. Draco felt his heart clench. Harry was so very beautiful. Draco had never found another boy as attractive as he found Harry, and the feeling confused him. However, his confusion was easily overpowered by attraction. Harry rolled his head toward him. “Do you know what my life was like before Hogwarts?” he asked Draco cautiously. The blond shook his head. Harry frowned, his brows knitting together. “Well, that's why I ran, Draco,” he said.

“What do you mean?” Draco whispered. He felt as though they were sharing secrets and this moment was for the two of them alone. Harry's verdant eyes glanced upwards, holding Draco's in thrall. 

“My family, the Muggles, I mean, well, they never liked me much, you see. They were er – sort of— not very nice to me.” Sighing, Harry looked back at the sky. He seemed to find it difficult to continue, but he did, “They didn't like magic, see. And they definitely didn't like me. They er – they didn't treat me very nicely, and they made me believe that I was worthless. A freak.” 

Draco gasped, more at what he knew Harry was NOT saying than at what he had said. “What did they have to do with running away, Harry?” he said gently as he reached out and brushed away a stray tear that had slipped down Harry's cheek.

Harry smiled and leaned into the touch. He turned back to Draco. “I know this won't make any sense at all, Draco, but I believed I would be punished for killing someone. I was afraid. So I ran.”

“Harry! You had acted in self-defence!”

“I know that, I know. But see, I was really hurt and confused, and I kept thinking about the Dursleys and how they would punish me even when it wasn't my fault.” Harry's hand rubbed at his scar again. Before Draco could respond further, Snape and Gyre-Carlin interrupted them.

“Come, boys,” Carlin said, “The blessing time is upon us!” The boys rose as one to stand beside the adults, leaving their conversation behind. Carlin, holding Snape's hand, led him toward the bonfire. Draco, feeling bold, grasped Harry's hand in his and followed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*1 Oidhche is pronounced Oi-ta-ch means eve of  
*2 bràthair is pronounced vraa-hair means brother  
*3 Sorcha is pronounced soa-ha-chah Harry’s sister’s name  
*4 siúr is pronounced shoor means sister

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	4. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HP and the DS continues

  
Author's notes: HP and the DS continues  


* * *

**Disclaimer:** See Prologue for disclaimer.

This fiction is beta'd by **smirking_muse**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Chapter Three:**

Draco Malfoy was thrilled. This had been one of the most fascinating and wonderful nights of his life, and it wasn't over yet! He had joined in the Beltane celebration of the Daoine Sìth, witnessed the Queen bless the potion that would enable his parents conceive another child, and watched the Centaurs of the Forbidden Forest and the _Unicorns_ (!!) prance through the sacred smoke of the Beltane bonfires. Most importantly, he and Severus had discovered where Harry Potter had disappeared to all those years ago.

Additionally, he and Snape were going to spend the night with Gyre-Carlin and Harry. IN THEIR HOME! Could things get any better? Oh, but they did! He had just found out that he would be spending the night with Harry Potter, in Harry Potter's room— innocently though, of course. 

For the first time in his life, he did not regret disobeying Professor Severus Snape.

Draco and Snape had been transported with faery magic into the mound under the old Hawthorn tree. Now Draco was following Harry's pert little bum through the maze of halls to where they would sleep. Yes, indeed, life was fabulous! Draco could hardly contain his glee, and he had to work extremely hard to keep his Malfoy mask of indifference firmly in place. After all, Malfoys do not skip down hallways! It simply would not be dignified.

 

As Harry led Draco through a series of passages outlined by polished, winding tree roots, Draco went over the evening's events to permanently inscribe them into his memory. He and Harry had not had a chance to continue their conversation from earlier. There had been too much to do and see. They had eaten, drunk, and danced the rest of the night away. Draco had not been too overwhelmed to notice that there had seemed to be very few male faeries, and most of the males that had been present at the celebration had been decidedly human-looking with no wings at all. He had come to the conclusion that they had been human and had resolved to ask Harry about it. He had also noticed that the Sìth had had very little modesty, many of them had run around naked or nearly so. Draco had been mortified at first. Seeing so many beautiful nude females in one place had wreaked havoc with his libido and had caused him untold embarrassment. After all, where did one look when speaking with a naked girl? He had a feeling that Harry enjoyed his discomfiture, for whenever he had introduced Draco to one of the unclothed maids, there had been a twinkle in his green eyes. 

The Beltane Celebration had been a truly wondrous experience, but Draco was now extremely tired and glad that he and Harry would soon be alone. He desperately wanted to get to know the other boy better.

For a few moments, he had believed that he would have had to wait even longer to get Harry alone. As soon as they had entered the mound, Severus had tried to question Harry and the Queen. Gyre-Carlin had not allowed Harry to answer any of Snape's inquiries. She had thwarted the ill-tempered man by telling him that the two boys were tired and that they could have this conversation in the morning. Snape had been not been pleased. Severus Snape could be doggedly determined when he wanted to, so Draco anticipated that Gyre-Carlin would not be getting much sleep this night. After all, the mystery of how Harry came to live with the Sìth, become one of them – well, that was simply too big a mystery to simply let drop.

Draco, however, had no compunction in heading off to bed with Harry and had followed after the dark-haired boy without an argument.

They soon arrived at a large, round wooden door. Harry glanced up shyly at Draco before swinging the door open and waving Draco through. Draco had never seen anything like it before. As soon as he walked in, the room had illuminated with a soft glow. Where exactly the light was coming from, Draco could not determine. The room was round in shape, and the walls were the same polished, deep-earth colour with gnarled roots winding through them. On the far side of the room on a platform beneath a large window, there was a huge bed, covered in soft, silky bed linens and mounds of pillows in all different shades of green, from pale mossy to the deepest emerald. It was quite beautiful. Draco became extremely curious to see what the window looked out to and would have— if he had not been distracted by the other boy.

Harry had followed Draco inside and stood beside him. A snow-white owl hooted balefully from the corner of the room before flying off and landing on Harry's shoulder. Draco gaped as he recognised the owl. “Your owl,” he whispered. Harry nodded. 

“Hedwig. She found me shortly after I disappeared,” Harry said as he gently stroked her breast. “Did you hunt, girl?” The owl cooed at him, blinked her golden eyes and nipped his ear affectionately before she flew back to her perch. Harry wandered over to a large tank on the left side of the room. Draco followed him, his eyes trying desperately to take in every detail. He was temporarily startled by a soft hissing sound coming from the tank. Draco was surprised even further when Harry hissed back. He moved closer to investigate. Harry reached into the tank and a large black snake wound its way up the boy's arm. Draco gasped as Harry and the snake continued making hissing noises.

“You're speaking to it!” he blurted out.

Harry giggled, turning his head to look at Draco. “Yeah,” he said. “I discovered I could talk to snakes a long time ago.” Harry looked at Draco nervously. “My teacher said some wizards believe that's a sign of a dark wizard. He told me Voldemort could speak to snakes too. But my mother says it's a precious gift, and I shouldn't try to hide it.” Draco silently agreed with Gyre-Carlin.

The snake hissed again, its head having reached Harry's shoulder; the reptile nodded toward Draco as its topaz eyes locked onto the blond boy. Draco assumed the snake was glaring at him and swallowed thickly. Harry snickered again and hissed something back at the creature.

“Draco, I'd like to introduce you to Snape,” he said with a wicked grin. 

_“Snape_?!” he asked, incredulously. “You named your pet snake Snape?”

Harry's grin widened further. “Yeah, he's a snarky git, too,” he laughed. Draco stared at the faery boy, his mouth hanging open. He could not imagine what Professor Snape would have to say about his namesake. “I thought the name suited him. He's very opinionated and stubborn,” Harry continued, his eyes worriedly flicking between the snake and Draco. “Don't you like snakes? I mean, with you being Slytherin and all, I assumed… I'll put him back.”

“No,” Draco finally managed to answer. “It's alright. I was just trying to imagine the other Snape's reaction.” Harry laughed again, and Draco joined him this time. 

“He won't bite me, will he?” Draco asked tentatively. Harry shook his head, so Draco leaned in further. The snake was black with a deep blue, almost black, zig-zag stripe down its supple back. “He's very beautiful. He's an adder, yes?” Draco inquired, reaching out to touch the ebony scales.

“Yes, he is. An adder, I mean. That's another reason I named him Snape. His tongue is poisonous in more ways than one.” The snake hissed indignantly at the two boys. Harry smiled wryly and hissed back. 

“What's he saying?”

“He's upset because he thinks we're ignoring him.” 

Draco glanced up at Harry, “You jest.” 

“No. I told you he's a temperamental git,” Harry said as he put the snake back in the tank. 

“Harry, I want to be here when you introduce Snape to Snape.” Draco said mischievously. “It'll be brilliant!” 

The two boys shared another laugh before Harry yawned widely. He wandered over to a large wardrobe, beside the door they had entered from, pulled out a pair of deep blue silk trousers, and handed them to Draco. “These are too big for me, so they should fit you. Do you need a shirt?” Harry asked blushing slightly. Draco took the soft garment and shook his head. “Right then, I'll use the loo first.” The boy grabbed another pair of trousers and strode through a door on the right side of the room, leaving Draco alone.

Draco quickly divested himself of the clothes he had been wearing for the past two days and slipped the borrowed trousers on. They were a bit snug in the hips, but not uncomfortably so. They were the softest things he had ever felt. Curious about his new surroundings, he wandered around the room trying not to be rude, but his need to know more about this new Harry Potter led him to snoop. By the window on the right side of the room, he noticed a desk with parchment, quills, and ink pots strewn across it. There was a book lying open beside them face down to hold its place. Alongside the desk was a large bookcase filled with old and new leather-bound tomes. He walked briskly over to it and looked at the titles. To his surprise, a lot of them were school books— the very same books he had been studying from at Hogwarts. Interested, he looked at the title of the book on the desk, _A Study in Advanced Defensive Magicks_ by P.D. Strongwood. Draco's eyes grew large in surprise. This was a seventh year text. Obviously, Harry was studying magic and was far ahead of Draco in his education. He glanced at the parchment beside the book noting the title of the essay, ‘The Many Uses of the Patronous Charm;’ Draco was itching to read more and would have if Harry had not re-entered the room.

“Making yourself at home, Draco?” he asked with a quirked eyebrow.

Draco flushed in embarrassment. “Sorry…” he mumbled half-heartedly.

“No, it's alright. Toilet’s free, and there are towels if you want a shower,” Harry said, ignoring the other boy's snooping. Draco's face lit up at the prospect. He hadn't thought of it earlier, but now that Harry mentioned it, he realised he hadn't had a proper wash in days. 

“A shower would be bloody fantastic!” Draco practically skipped to the loo, except that Malfoys didn't skip. 

~~~~~~

Severus Snape was not a man to be deterred. However, he was left completely frustrated from all his attempts to get answers from the fae Queen. It was simply maddening! As he followed the bewitching woman to his sleeping chambers for the night, he had been determined to get answers, at least to her part in this tale. He would not be put off again!

The infuriatingly beautiful woman stopped in front of a large, round wooden door with no handle. She touched the centre and it opened. Snape raised one dark brow and swiftly entered, robes billowing behind him. He noticed right away that he had entered what were obviously the Queen’s private chambers. They were quite magnificent, and normally he would have been fascinated, but he was determined to remain focused this time. Glancing around quickly, he strode with purpose to a grouping of chairs nestled in the corner of the room, well away from the bed piled with pillows and surrounded by sheer blue bed hangings. No, he would not let himself be distracted again. He plunked himself down in one of the chairs gracelessly, crossed his arms over his chest, and turned to Carlin, raising one dark brow and glaring at her expectantly.

Gyre-Carlin was still standing by the door, watching him with an indulgent smile. Vexing woman! She glided across the room and sat gracefully in the chair opposite his. Arranging her flowing dress, she raised her own elegantly-shaped brow and waited.

“Well,” Snape growled.

“Well what, Severus?” she asked.

Snape set his face into his best, ‘I am a person of authority, and you will obey me and do as I say' Professor snarl, and snapped petulantly, “Well, am I going to get any answers from you at all? I believe I have been more than patient enough, your Highness.”

The woman had the nerve to laugh! By Merlin, if he was not timorous of her powers, he would have ben pacing and raging. 

“Please call me Carlin,” she simply told him. Severus narrowed his eyes but nodded his head. She gave him another indulgent smile. “Alright, Severus, where would you like me to begin?” She rose, moving to a table against the wall, set out two crystal glasses, and filled them with a rich amber liquid. Snape kept his eyes on her as she settled back in her chair and handed him a glass. He set it down, untouched. 

“Ask your questions, Severus. I shall do my best to answer them,” she said nonchalantly as she took a dainty sip from her glass.

Well, now that he was given the opportunity, where did he begin? There were so many questions that needed answering. How did Harry come to be here? Why was he now Sìth? Why was he kept here, away from the wizarding world? Then there was James Potter and his Sìth daughter. Why had Carlin expected them tonight? On and on his questions went. 

“Why have you kept knowledge of Harry's existence a secret?” Snape asked, deciding that this question would encompass many of the concerns pertaining to Potter. “When you found the boy, why did you not return him to Hogwarts?” 

“Ah, right to the heart of the matter, Severus,” the Queen intoned amusedly. She angled her head slightly to the side as though thinking before proceeding to answer.

“As I told you earlier, when Harry arrived in the meadow, he was seriously injured, and it was lucky that I was expecting him.” Snape nodded, remembering the earlier conversation. “We did what we could for him, healed what we could. However, despite our efforts, he still hovered close to death. My only hope in saving the poor child was to call on the ancient magic of the Daoine Sìth.” She paused for a moment, her expression weary and far way. “I had to bring Harry to the _Seelie Court_ *1, to _Queen Mab_ *2.” Severus gasped in shock. Mab was legend the world over— even the Muggles told tales of her deeds and misdeeds. Carlin nodded, acknowledging his reaction. “Mab is the most powerful of the Daoine Sìth. I knew that her magic could save Harry. Unfortunately, after Mab examined Harry, she came to the conclusion that the only way to save the boy was to infuse him with Sìth blood.”

“By Merlin!” Severus whispered. “That is why he is now Daoine Sìth.” 

Carlin nodded. “Mab created a potion mixed with my blood and hers.” Severus gasped again. “Harry was unconscious for a fortnight, and each day, I watched as he changed. Little by little, hour by hour, he took on the traits of the Sìth until he became that which you saw tonight.”

“And you claimed him as your son,” Snape said quietly. 

Carlin shook her head. “Yes and no. Lily's love and magic protected Harry when it mattered most, Severus. Her blood still flows within his veins; mine and Mab's only added to it. I would not have him deny her, nor would I disrespect her sacrifice by usurping her place. Lily Potter is and shall always be Harry's mother in his heart. I claimed him as my dalta, Severus, my foster son.”

Snape felt the sting of tears in the corners of his eyes. He took a deep breath, surprised to discover that Lily’s blood in Harry mattered to him. “But you could have claimed him,” he said, looking up at her. 

“Aye, I could have,” was all she said.

Snape reached for his glass and took a large gulp of the amber liquid. 

~~~~~~

Draco wandered out of the bath after the most remarkable shower, though it had not really been a shower at all! When Draco had entered the room, he had been shocked to discover that the shower was a small waterfall in corner of the room surrounded by polished river stone. The water gently cascading from the top was warm and smelled of minerals, as if coming from a natural spring. Which, Draco supposed, it did. The soap was scented with fresh camomile and honey. Needless to say, Draco had enjoyed his bathing experience very much. Now, as he came back into the bedroom refreshed, he had no other thoughts except to spend time with Harry.

The dark-haired boy was standing before the large window, illuminated by a soft blue light. Draco stood still and just stared at the faery. Harry was truly gorgeous. Long gone was the skinny, bespectacled, awkward boy, and in his place was this elegant, lithe, androgynous creature, which possessed grace, strength, and confidence. Draco yearned to discover all the secrets that were this new Harry Potter. He wanted to map out each feature and facet of the green-eyed wonder, to befriend him, to posses him, and to make the boy his own. Draco imagined what it would be like to kiss those full, ruby lips, to touch the other boy's skin, his hands roaming wherever they wanted. An image of Harry as he had first seen him standing beside the Queen, nude, came to Draco's mind, causing a not so unwelcome twitching to begin in his groin. 

“Are you going to stand over there all night?” Draco jumped, blushing at his unspoken fantasies. 

Donning his cool and confident Malfoy mask, Draco walked over to stand beside Harry. Once again, his breath was stolen from him when he first glimpsed what lay beyond the widow pane…

They were looking down upon a faery glen with a deep pool of water surrounded by lush grass, meadow flowers, shrubs, and plant of all kinds. All underneath the great old hawthorn tree. It was astounding, unbelievable, incredible!

“I'll take you down there tomorrow,” Harry's soft voice interrupted Draco's wild thoughts. “We can have a swim in the pools. Would you like that?”

Would he like that? Merlin's balls, what a silly question! “That would be acceptable,” Draco said with an air of indifference. 

Harry snickered. “I wondered when he'd show up.” Draco raised a pale brow as he pulled his eyes away from the window to look at his companion. “Malfoy, I mean. I was wondering when he'd make an appearance.”

“What are you on about?” Draco asked.

“Well,” Harry said with an amused lilt to his voice, “When I knew you were coming tonight, I was expecting the pompous arse I knew at Hogwarts. You surprised me, is all. I rather enjoy spending time with Draco, though, so I guess I'll just have to put up with Malfoy every now and again.”

Harry wandered over to the bed and lay down, turning on his side to face Draco. His wings rested behind him like an ethereal cape. He patted the empty spot beside him. “I hope you don't mind sharing? The bed’s enormous, and I don't take up much room.” Draco had to stop himself from running and leaping onto the mattress; instead, he raised his chin and walked calmly toward Harry.

“I'm sure I'll manage,” he sniffed haughtily as he slid into the bed opposite Harry. The light in the room immediately dimmed. Draco sat up and looked around in surprise.

“The tree knows when I'm ready to sleep,” Harry stated simply, attempting to put the blond boy at ease. Draco nodded as he lay back down. He wriggled down into the soft bed linens, making himself comfortable, and closed his eyes with a great weary sigh.

Draco could feel Harry's eyes on him, studying him. He glanced over at the dark-haired boy. “You are staring again,” he groused.

“Sorry,” Harry whispered. “I don't mean to. I know it's rude, but I can't help it. For a long time, I never thought I would see anyone from Hogwarts again. Besides, I catch you staring at me too, you know.” 

Draco blushed but rolled to face the other boy. “Yes, well, you have wings! Furthermore, you've been missing for years. I believe I'm entitled to stare at you.” Harry chuckled softly. “Speaking of missing,” Draco locked his eyes with Harry's, “Why did you stay away so long, Harry?”

Harry wrinkled his nose, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly in a gentle grin. “I had to wait for you to find me, Draco,” he answered cryptically, as he yawned and closed his eyes for sleep. “'M tired.”

“Oh, no, you don't, Harry Potter.”

~~~~~~

It took Severus several moments to compose himself before he could continue the conversation he had been having with Gyre-Carlin. Learning that the Potter boy had been changed by blood-magic using the blood of two of the most powerful Daoine Sìth was shocking to say the least. It explained quite a bit about why the boy had remained with the Sìth all this time. He imagined it would have taken time to learn to control the new magical influence, not to mention the physical changes. However, Potter appeared to have mastered the new attributes, and it certainly did not excuse the fact that no one had contacted the wizarding world and let them know the boy was safe and alive. 

“Why did you let no one know where the child was, Carlin?”

The Queen gave Snape a look of utter disbelief. “Do you honestly believe your world would have let Harry be? That they would have allowed the child to heal and learn about what he was?” Carlin stood and began pacing in front of Severus. She turned and fixed him with a steely glare. “NO!” she said forcefully, pointing a finger accusingly at the Potion's Master. “The wizards would have been clamouring all over this meadow attempting to get their hands on the boy hero!” She shook her head vehemently. “That was something I could not have allowed, Severus.”

Severus found he could not deny the truth in her words. The wizarding world would have vaulted the child to unimaginable heights without any concern for the child's needs or well being. However, Snape was positive that Dumbledore could have protected the boy, guided him, and kept the Ministry at bay.

“Be that as it may, Carlin, the fact remains that the boy is healed, and he appears to have assimilated his new powers. Would it not then have been appropriate to let us know he was alive? At the very least, could you have contacted the Headmaster? You know as well as I that Dumbledore would have protected the boy until Harry could manage on his own in HIS world. For, despite whatever you have done to change him, Harry is and always will be a wizard first!”

Carlin placed her hands on her hips and sneered down at Snape. “‘A wizard first!’ Ha!” she scoffed at him. “That boy knew nothing about the wizarding world until he received his Hogwarts letter. And despite what you might believe, Severus Snape, he was treated abysmally by the family your Albus Dumbledore chose to raise him! He was abused and starved, treated as a slave instead of as a child that needed to be loved and cherished! I would no more trust Dumbledore with Harry than I would Fudge!” 

Snape snorted in disbelief, shaking his head. 

Carlin placed her hands on the armrests on either side of the chair Severus was sitting in. She leaned in close to the man and hissed, “If you do not believe me, ask your precious Dumbledore about the wretched excuses for guardians he placed Harry with all those years ago.” Snape felt his face infuse with warmth due to her proximity and anger, as he became aroused. He glanced away, embarrassed by the untimely feelings.

She stood up and stormed across the room to look out the large window. “Harry spent less than a year in your world, Severus. He is more Sìth than wizard.” She turned around to face Snape, and her features softened. “Even so, I agree that his place, for now, is in the wizarding world. Since he first arrived here, I have been preparing him for his return. But there are several important things about Harry you must now understand, Severus Snape.” Having calmed herself, she walked back toward the seating area and stood directly in front of Snape, forcing him to look up at her. “The potion Mab used on Harry did change him. However, he is not a full Sìth. As you might know, male Daoine Sìths are very rare. There are perhaps one or two born a century, which is why we, the female Daoine Sìth, take human mates. The potion used on Harry that night is only ever used on our own offspring, and therefore, only on female infants.” Carlin reached out with her hand and gently touched Snape's face. “As a result, _a croí_ *3, Harry is a rare individual, a true half-breed, and with that he will face many challenges. This is why I waited for you to come to us; Harry is approaching his quickening. It is a time when each Sìth comes of age and their magic reaches its full potential. He will find his mate.”

Surprising himself, Severus leaned into her touch. “I have read that the Sìth dream of their mate for almost an entire year before their coming of age,” he told her. “Has Harry been experiencing dreams?” Carlin nodded sadly.

“Aye.” She ran her hand down his arm and grasped his hand in hers. Carlin gently encouraged Snape to his feet. “Come, Severus, it is time for bed. We can finish this discussion in the morning when the boys are present.” 

Carlin guided him to the bed, where he stopped short. “I am not sleeping with you!” he stammered.

“Of course you are, you foolish wizard.”

Snape gaped at her. Bewitched! By Merlin, he was!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*1 The Seelie Court is the ‘royal’ or good court of the faeries. The opposite is the Unseelie court or the Sluag – the court of the un-forgiven dead.  
*2 Queen Mab is the queen of all faeries and the same Mab from the tales of King Arthur and Merlin.  
*3 a croí is pronounced ah kree and means my heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	5. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HP and the DS continues...

  
Author's notes: HP and the DS continues...  


* * *

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

I would sincerely like to thank my wonderful beta **smirking_muse**. She's been just brilliant!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

**Chapter Four:**

Draco awoke slowly and felt slightly disoriented. As he had been trained, he assessed the situation before opening his eyes; the first thing he realised was that he was not in his own bed, nor was he slumbering in his four-poster at Hogwarts. No, this was definitely unfamiliar territory. Secondly, he noticed there was a very warm body snuggled into his side, and that his arm was cradling this warm body protectively, pressing it closer still. Finally, he could feel that his arm was brushing against the silkiest, most supple substance he had ever touched, and that whatever it was, it seemed alive and undulated under his finger tips.

A soft wisp of breath eddied over his sleep-warmed skin, “'S nice.”

Draco's eyes snapped open, his hand stilled, and his neck craned to look down. A mop of black hair and a pair of diaphanous wings met his glance. The sight caused his lips to curve upwards and his heart to beat slightly faster. For a brief moment, while he had been in that dreamlike state just before waking, he had believed he had dreamt everything that had transpired the night before. But it was all true, and it had happened just as he remembered it. 

“Harry,” he whispered. The body by his side curled even tighter against him.

“Don' stop,” Harry murmured sleepily, his soft cheek rubbing against Draco’s chest. “Felt good.”

Draco chuckled, swearing that Harry purred like a milk-fed cat. Draco gently shook the other boy, only to have Harry hiss at him slightly and press himself impossibly closer. Thinking this could all get out of hand quickly, Draco said clearly, “Potter, wake up.” The dark-haired boy sat up quickly, blinked owlishly, and blushed attractively, his wings fluttering behind him with a nervous energy.

“ _An Ifrinn_ *1, Draco!” Harry yelped, scurrying to the other side of the bed. “I'm sorry! Oh, my!” Harry tumbled over the edge of the bed.

“It's alright, Harry,” Draco said, trying desperately to suppress his laughter.

The top of Harry's head appeared above the end of the bed. “I'm really sorry. I've never slept in the same bed as anyone else before,” he said shyly.

“Yes, well, apparently – you – like – to – snuggle, Harry,” Draco calmly replied, emphasising each word as he edged toward the skittish faery.

Harry's eyes were huge and his pupils dilated. “I didn't know that,” he whispered. “I'm sorry. I didn't know it would happen so fast—that I’d feel like this – and I'm not sure – and you don't understand – oh, Draco, I am so sorry!” Harry was making absolutely no sense at all. Draco didn't know why the other boy was so upset. He decided to put an end to Harry's nonsensical ramblings –

“Stop apologising, Potter.” Draco moved even closer, bringing his face only inches from the other boy's. “I didn't mind,” he whispered. Harry blinked up at him confused.

“You didn't?”

“No, I didn't.” Draco did something then that even he had not anticipated; he leant down and kissed the tip of Harry's nose. Harry's eyes widened even further, and he fell backward onto his bottom, staring up at Draco.

The two boys looked at each other for a long moment, and gray eyes locked with verdant ones until Draco blushed and looked away. “I guess I should apologise now,” he said as he sat up on the bed. “I don't know why I did that. I shouldn't have – it was impulsive of me.”

“NO!” Harry just about shouted. “No. I – I didn't mind,” he stammered, his face flushed. Draco turned away from Harry so that the other boy could not see his satisfied smirk. By the time he turned back around, Harry had risen off of the floor. He was standing at the end of the bed, looking everywhere except towards the blond.

“I suppose we should get dressed and find my mother – and Professor Snape,” he mumbled as he made his way to the wardrobe. It was then that Draco noticed his clothes folded neatly over the chair in front of the desk. They appeared to have been cleaned and pressed. He rose and walked toward them as Harry rummaged through his own things, presumably searching for something suitable to wear. Draco didn't think this should be a hard decision, given that Harry seemed to dress only in gauzy trousers, similar to those he had donned the night before.

“Do you have house-elves, Potter?” Draco asked.

Harry's head came round the door to look at Draco curiously, until he noticed the clean set of clothes. “Oh, yeah, err – we do, yes.” Harry's head disappeared again for a few moments before he re-emerged, apparently having found what he was looking for. “Did you want to use the loo first?” he asked, finding his composure at last.

A short time later, the two boys were walking side by side through the winding corridors. The hallways were overflowing with activity in comparison to the night before. Many of the Sìth called out greetings to the two boys as they passed. Draco was very hungry and immensely interested to discover how Professor Snape's evening had gone. It occurred to Draco that he had no clue what time it was and hadn't even thought to cast a Tempus Charm. He surmised it was late morning on account of the activity and his stomach's rumbling. Today was Monday, and he should be attending classes. He briefly thought about asking Harry to borrow his owl to send a message to the school. However, all thoughts of sending messages fled his mind completely as he and Harry approached what he assumed was the breakfast room…

~~~~~~~~~~

“You are being deliberately obtuse, Carlin!” Severus snarled angrily.

“I am not. I merely wish to wait for the boys before we continue this conversation, Severus.” Carlin's voice was calm and controlled, infuriating Snape further.

“Oh, you most certainly are! I have been more than tolerant of your half-answers and blatant subterfuges!”

“Subterfuges!?” Carlin repeated indignantly. “You exaggerate, Severus!”

Snape scowled at the Queen. “You have been deliberately thwarting my every attempt to discuss this matter with you.” Snape was pacing in front of a table laid out with breakfast dishes, and Carlin sat primly watching him. 

“Severus, do sit down. The boys will be here momentarily, and then you shall get the answers you are so desperate for.” No sooner had the words left her lips than the two boys entered the room. “There, see. Now sit down before you burst a blood vessel!” 

Snape's scowl deepened, but he did as he was told and sat across from Carlin, though he did so with a huff, grumbling like an angry dragon, “Infuriating woman!”

The two boys stood in the doorway, both apparently wary about entering after having overheard the two adults arguing. Snape was sure his hostile glare added to their trepidation. Carlin, however, put them both at ease. Smiling brightly, she motioned at them to come in.

“Good morning, Harry, Draco. Sit – sit and have some breakfast.” She opened her arms to Harry, who immediately went to her. As they embraced, Harry kissed her cheek.

“Good morning, Máthair, Professor Snape,” Harry said as he took a seat beside Carlin. Draco sat next to the other boy, smiling and murmuring a similar greeting.

Carlin set about filling their plates with fruit and eggs before pouring each boy a cup of tea. She gave Severus a sharp glance until he reluctantly began to fill his own plate. 

All four of them began to eat and were soon joined by Carlin's daughter, Sorcha. Snape sat dyspeptically, stabbing at the food on his plate and ignoring the polite conversation around him. Occasionally, he would glare nastily at the woman seated opposite him. Carlin shared an amused glance with Sorcha before addressing his ill-temper.

“Severus, you will give yourself indigestion. Honestly!” She bit her lip to keep from chuckling. 

Severus was momentarily distracted as he watched her white teeth nibbling the pink flesh. Carlin’s tinkling laughter brought him back to the present. He dropped his fork noisily onto his plate and glowered at the beautiful faery. “May I assume that we can begin our discussion and do away with the appearance of ‘happy family?'” he snapped. Sorcha laughed at his comment until Severus turned his fiery gaze on her. The young woman stopped her tittering and squirmed in her chair.

Carlin cleared her throat, “Of course, Severus. By all means.” she waved her hands, signalling him to begin.

“Finally!” he nearly shouted as he turned toward the two boys, fixing his black eyes on Harry. Harry shifted uncomfortably and chewed on his bottom lip nervously. “Potter,” Snape began forcefully, “we must discuss how we are to proceed from here. The Queen and I have had a _brief_ ,” he stressed the word, “discourse on the matter. However, your input is required.” Harry looked toward his mother and then back at Snape.

“What do you mean, sir?” he asked confused.

Snape growled under his breath about “idiotic children” before he said icily, “You have been missing for four years, Potter. Four years! In all those years, no one in the wizarding world has known where you were or if you were even alive, you fatuous twit!” Harry paled and sunk down low in his chair.

“Now see here, Professor,” Draco interjected, but continued no further as Snape set his snarling visage on the blond boy. 

“You will keep your unwarranted remarks to yourself, Mister Malfoy,” Snape said, adopting his professorial persona. He then brought his attention back to the faery boy, “It may have slipped your notice, Potter, or perhaps you are merely too supremely benighted to realise, that Draco's and my presence here will alert the world that their saviour has been found. Far be it from me to point out to the boy-who-lived that arrangements must be made for your eminent return!”

Harry frowned slightly. “So soon?” he said softly.

Snape had the sudden urge to grab the boy and shake him. “What's this, Potter?” he snarled nastily, “Surely the conquering hero wishes to bask in his adoring public's accolades and tributes? Arrogant as you are…”

“I am not!” Harry yelled.

“Not what, Potter? Arrogant or…”

“That will be quite enough, Severus,” Carlin said, setting her own fork down with a loud clank. “Either you compose yourself or I shall fetch you a Calming Draught. You are being extremely unpleasant, and that attitude will be neither productive nor favourable to this discussion.” Snape, feeling cowed, looked away, murmuring under his breath again, only this time with reference to an ‘insufferable woman.'

Carlin reached over and grasped Harry's hand. “Now, Harry,” she began, as she focused all her attention on her adopted son, “You will remember that you and I have discussed before that there might come a day when you would be returning to the wizarding world, even if only briefly.” Harry nodded his head as his eyes searched Carlin's. She gave him an encouraging smile. “We have been preparing for this possibility, Dubhsìth,” again Harry nodded, chewing on his bottom lip. “And due to your dreams of late, we were even more positive that you would be returning with the wizards.” Carlin glanced fondly between Snape and Draco. “Professor Snape believes that the time for you to return is now, darling dalta, and I must say that I reluctantly agree with that assessment.” 

Harry glanced around the table, a forlorn expression creasing his brow. “I know I should go, and one part of me wants to,” Harry's eyes surreptitiously glanced at Draco, “But another part of me wants to stay here, Mamaí. This is my home, the only one I've ever had, really, and I don't want to leave you and Sorcha!”

Carlin rose from her chair and knelt down beside Harry. She placed her hands on either side of the boy's face, her expression full of caring and love. “You won't be going alone, Dubhsìth, I am going with you.” Everyone except Sorcha seemed surprised by that statement. Snape's jaw dropped to his knees.

Harry's smile split his face widely. “Really?” he asked. “What about Sorcha?” 

Carlin shook her head. “Sorcha and I have discussed it, dearest. Her path lies here in the Bárd, while yours and mine lie with the wizards for now.” 

Harry cast concerned green eyes to his sister. Sorcha gave Harry a reassuring grin. “We will see each other often, Doov. Do not worry about me.” 

Harry nodded sadly at his sister as he wrapped his arms around the Queen and hugged her tightly. “I'm glad you will be with me, Mamaí,” he whispered into her long curls.

Severus had heard enough. It was one thing to return to the wizarding world with Harry, but with the Queen?! “Carlin, what do you mean? You cannot possibly be considering leaving here and returning to Hogwarts with us!”

Carlin stood, her hand gliding over Harry's cheek. “Of course I am,” she stated simply, smirking at Snape. “I told you last night, Severus. I have been waiting for you for years, centuries for that matter.” He stared dumfounded at the enchanting woman. “You still have not put it together have you, a croí?” she asked, arching her eyebrow. Severus felt himself pale as pieces of a puzzle began sliding into place. To clarify for him, she stated simply, “The year before my quickening, I dreamt of you.” 

Snape's brain seized as his thoughts raced. He had no response to that statement at all. Gyre-Carlin had dreamt of him before her quickening! But what about Potter?! Carlin and James Potter had obviously had carnal relations. If Carlin had dreamt of him, then why had she slept with Potter, and why had she not approached Hogwarts before now?! He certainly was not a difficult man to find! If Carlin had dreamt of him – well, that meant – 

“I'm your mate?!” he gasped.

“Aye.”

“Why have you not sought me out before now?!” he demanded, rising from his chair.

“I knew you would come to me,” she stated firmly. Severus scowled at her and opened his mouth to retort. “This is not the time to discuss this, Severus – unless of course, you wish the boys and Sorcha to hear the tale as well.” Her words triggered something in Snape, and he found himself turning quickly to stare at the two boys. His face must have given away his thoughts, for Harry immediately flushed angrily and glared at the Potion's master. 

“And Draco…”

Harry abruptly stood, knocking his chair over with a loud thump and causing everyone to jump in surprise. “You shut up! SHUT UP!” he bellowed. Snape was taken aback by Harry's sudden anger but would not be deterred.

He pinned the dark-haired boy with a white-hot gaze. “… And Draco,” he continued deliberately, “is…”

Harry flew around the table, “SHUT UP, you bloody overgrown BAT!” Carlin stood and followed Harry, her concern for Harry and her anger at Severus apparent on her face and in her movements.

“ENOUGH!” She shouted. The two turned to face Carlin, one flushed with anger and embarrassment, the other with cold indifference. “Severus, mind yourself,” she said hotly, “Now is definitely NOT the appropriate time, nor is it any of your business.” Faced with her wrath, Snape complied. With a huff, he flung himself back into his seat.

He watched as Carlin guided Harry away from the others. She was whispering to the riled faery, petting his wings soothingly. Snape turned away and looked down the table toward Draco. The blond was staring at his plate with an odd expression on his face. It was as though he were trying to figure out a complex problem that required all his concentration. Snape huffed again and turned his eyes to the young woman seated across from Draco. Sorcha stared at him with open loathing and disgust.

“Harry was right,” she hissed at him. “You are a nasty, temperamental, and arrogant man!” Snape raised one dark brow as she continued, “I feel sorry for my mother, to have waited all this time for her mate, and to have ended up with a foul, bitter old crow such as you.” Snape opened his mouth to respond, but Sorcha cut him off. “Do not upset my brother again, Snape, or has no one ever told you that it is foolish to anger a Daoine Sìth?!” she scathed as she stood abruptly and stormed from the room. 

Snape watched her leave, his thoughts a jumbled mass of twists and turns. A soft chuckle made him look up. Draco was watching him closely, arms folded across his chest as he leaned back in his chair. “You do have a way with people, don't you, Severus?” he said with a sly grin.

Severus scowled. “Do be quiet, Draco.” The boy chuckled again.

~~~~~~

Carlin led Harry to the large expanse of windows on the far side of the room. She was murmuring softly to him in an attempt to calm the boy down. She would be having a long chat with her mate about the proper decorum later. 

“Calm down, Harry,” she said as she ran her hands up and down Harry's arms in a soothing gesture. 

“He had no right!” Harry whispered furiously, his eyes darting toward the Professor.

“I know, dearest. I know he did not, and I will speak with Severus later,” she reassured the young man. 

“But Harry, if Draco has not already figured out that he is your mate, you will need to tell him yourself, and soon.” Harry's anger deflated quickly at her words, replaced with worry and concern.

“I know – and I will, Mamaí.” Harry sighed. “I just wanted him to get to know me better first. I don't want him to feel obligated or forced.” The boy looked up into her eyes. There was such sadness in them that Carlin gathered the boy into her arms, clutching him to her chest. “What if he doesn't want me, Mamaí?" He mumbled against her shoulder.

“Not want you?! Don't be silly, dearest.” She pulled back slightly so that she could see her foster son's face. “The boy is smitten with you already, my love.” Harry furrowed his brow as he shook his head slightly. “Harry, since Draco first encountered you last night, he has had eyes for no one else – despite exposure to a number of beautiful Sìth.” In spite of her words, she could tell that Harry still did not believe her. Carlin grasped Harry's face as she had done earlier. “You have lived here with me for four years, and yet, I still have not been able to erase what those horrid people did to you.” She pulled his face to hers and kissed both his cheeks lovingly. “You are a beautiful, kind, thoughtful, and intelligent young man, dearest. Do not allow the old memories to haunt you any longer. It is in the past, Harry. Leave it there."

Harry heaved another heavy sigh, leaning into her so that he could rest his head on her shoulder. They embraced for a long moment, and Harry gathered his thoughts. Finally, Carlin spoke, “Are you better now, dalta? We really do have important matters to discuss with Professor Snape.” Harry gave her a reluctant nod though he frowned slightly at the mention of the Potions master. Carlin smiled softly, caressing the boy's face one last time. She really would need to have a very, very long conversation with Severus Snape. Grasping Harry's hand in hers, she led him back to the breakfast table.

~~~~~~

Both Snape and Draco looked up as the two Sìth approached. Snape frowned as he observed Harry's downcast head. The boy seemed reluctant to look at either Draco or himself. Perhaps he should have bitten his tongue, he thought wryly. Although normally he had better control over them, this time he had let his emotions get the better of him. The old animosity for Harry's father always had bought out the worst in him. He had never been rational where James Potter was concerned. 

Carlin cleared her throat, interrupting his train of thought. “Well, perhaps we can now attempt a rational discussion about our return to Hogwarts?” she said as she sat at the table. Harry briskly walked around to the other side, picking his chair up from where it had fallen, and sat down.

“You are still determined to come with us, Carlin?” Snape asked.

“Yes,” she replied simply.

Snape glanced at her sceptically, though he was inwardly glad that he had not chased the beautiful woman off. “You mentioned preparing Harry for his likely return to the wizarding world; would you care to enlighten me?”

“Of course, Severus, Harry has been studying wizard magic and learning about your world since he came to live with me,” Carlin stated.

“How?”

“He has had a tutor.”

“Who?”

“Me,” said a rough, male voice from the door. Snape turned to discover who had spoken.

For at least the tenth time in two days, Snape felt his jaw hit the floor before his anger sparked anew. “Aberforth Dumbledore!” He rasped furiously, as Draco murmured something about the Hog's Head.

“The very same,” the man responded, a twinkle in his blue eyes, very much reminiscent of the Headmaster.

“You have known Potter was alive all this time?” Snape sneered. Aberforth merely nodded his head. “Albus will murder you!” Snape hissed dangerously.

“’Course he won't now, will he? Though, it wouldn't be the first time he's tried, mind yeh,” Aberforth chuckled as he approached the table. He sat down beside the surly Potions master. “Never did like yeh Snape,” he said, looking down his nose at the dark-haired man, “Don't know what Albus sees in yeh ta trust yeh so.”

“Do behave, the pair of you,” Carlin said firmly. “We will not be having any further arguments or insults today.” She glared at the two men, and they both squirmed in their chairs guiltily.

“Now, Severus, I asked Aberforth to be here this morning, so that you would be reassured that Harry had been caught up in his studies. This way, when we meet with the Headmaster, there will be no doubts as to Harry's abilities.”

“You chose poorly, Carlin,” Snape snorted. “The Headmaster often talks about his demented, goat-obsessed brother and his lack magical scholarship.”

“Aye,” the old man grumbled. “He would, wouldn't he?!” Aberforth turned to look directly at Severus, his blue eyes so like the Headmaster's that Snape found it disquieting. “There's a lot about me that even Albus doesn't know, Snape. Never took the time to know me, did he? He might believe I'm a fool or an idiot, but what would he know about it? Off with Grindewald he were, off spoutin' all his pureblood nonsense whilst I was at Hogwarts. Never cared about how we was doin', now did he? Never once considered who was carin' for me an Ariana, whilst mother was sick in bed a'fore she passed. Pouted like a petulant child, he did, when he had to come home to take care of us, didn't he? He wouldn't know what I'm capable of.”

Snape had no answer for that. Even for as long as he had known Albus, the man still had not revealed many of his secrets. Aberforth snorted in amusement at Snape's perplexed expression. “Aye, lad, I could tell yeh a thing or two ‘bout Albus Dumbledore.” The old man chuckled deeply. “But, now's not the time, is it?” Aberforth settled himself comfortably in his chair, and began helping himself to breakfast. He scooped a large mouthful of eggs into his mouth before continuing, “I can tell yeh this, Snape – Harry could take his NEWTs right now and pass, if he wanted to.”

Snape raised a surprised brow and glared down the table to the boy in question. Harry slumped down low in his chair, his face flushed with embarrassment. 

“Potter,” he snarled. “What is the main ingredient in a Euphoria Elixir that will inhibit unwanted side effects?” 

Harry immediately sat up in his chair, a gleam in his eye. “Peppermint,” he answered promptly. “A sprig of peppermint will counterbalance the exuberance of Euphoria, sir, preventing the drinker from becoming a singing, nose-tweaking menace.” Aberforth guffawed as Draco's mouth hung open in disbelief. Snape, however, growled low in his chest in disappointment.

“What is the proper incantation to produce a Patronus?” he barked.

Aberforth and Harry exchanged equally devilish grins as Harry stood and moved away from the table. Smiling broadly, he held out his hand. Seconds later, a wand appeared in the young man's grasp. He looked pointedly at Snape and said, loudly, “Expecto Patronum!” From the tip of his wand burst a huge, shining spectral beast. It was a stag. Snape nearly fell off his chair as he recognised James Potter's Animagus form.

“Sweet Morgana!” Draco swore, his eyes following the ghostly animal as it canted in a circle, returning to stand in front of Harry before it disappeared. 

Aberforth leaned toward Snape. “Bloody natural when it comes to magic, that boy is,” he said, eyes twinkling maddeningly. 

Snape wanted to spit in the man's face! He had not seen that stag for years. It was infuriating. The last time he encountered the blasted animal/man, it had saved his life. He had hoped to never see it again. Moreover, here Potter was producing the perfect replica of his father in Animagus form as his blasted Patronus! Furthermore, not only was the child performing a spell that most grown wizards could not do, he had done it with ease! Snape's glower deepened.

“Impressive,” he said snidely, his mind racing for something to trip the boy up with. “However, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?” Harry paused as if confused; Snape felt a satisfied smirk beginning form on his face, until Harry snickered.

“Oh, Professor, did you think I wouldn't remember? First year, right? You were a right, nasty git then, and still are I suspect.” He glanced ashamedly at Carlin, who merely shrugged her shoulders and winked at the boy. Harry nodded confidently in return. “Draught of Living Death, sir!” The wretched boy exclaimed giddily.

Aberforth and Carlin both laughed out loud at Snape’s shocked pout. Blasted boy! Snape would have continued if the Queen had not put a stop to it. 

“Severus, please,” she said wearily, “we have more important things to discuss. You can quiz Harry to your heart’s delight later. Right now, we need to alert your dear Headmaster that we will be arriving shortly.”

Snape wanted desperately to say something scathing but found that when faced with Carlin's disappointment, he was unable to. The damnable woman had gotten under his skin, and bewitched him! Snape sighed dishearteningly. Life being the mate of Gyre-Carlin was looking to be a challenge to his acerbic personality. He briefly wondered if the woman knew exactly what she was getting into, or, better yet, if he did.

“I shall need an owl to send a message. I dare say, they are searching for Draco at this very moment,” he told them.

“You can borrow my owl, Professor,” Harry said excitedly, his joy at having bested Snape still evident. “I'll just go and fetch her for you.” The boy ran out of the room, his giggles trailing behind him. Draco rose and followed the boy out of the room also snickering.

Snape sneered at his retreating form. He turned his attention to Carlin. “Whom shall I say is coming?” he asked.

“Oh, I would say honesty is the best policy, Severus,” she answered and then looked toward the elderly wizard seated between them. “Aberforth, do you wish to join us?” she asked him, with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“My dear lady, I wouldn't miss it for the world!” he cackled madly. “Though don’t tell Albus I’m coming, Snape!” he added with a wink and a foolish grin on his face.

Severus sighed again and withdrew his wand, pointing it toward the sky, so that a bright flash of light expelled from it as he sent a message to Albus Dumbledore. “I am sure, Aberforth, your brother will be delighted with the surprise,” he sneered.

The old fool laughed even louder. 

~~~~~~

Albus Dumbledore sat in his office at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, listening to a very irate Lucius Malfoy. The tall, blond man paced before the Headmaster's large desk as his wife, Narcissa, sat daintily in one of the overstuffed guest chairs. Draco Malfoy had gone missing. Apparently, he had not been seen since early Saturday morning. Albus was fairly sure that Draco was with Hogwarts’ Potions master, Severus Snape. The elderly wizard had tried to explain this to the Malfoys, but it was to no avail. They were worried, and in all honesty, rightly so. Snape had gone into the Forbidden Forest on an errand. The forest was dark and full of dangers. One could easily get lost. If the boy had gone off after Snape without the Potions master's knowledge, well…

“Lucius, do sit,” Narcissa said quietly. “Your ranting and raving will do nothing to find Draco.” Dumbledore smiled benevolently at the pretty, blond woman.

“Narcissa is correct, Lucius,” Dumbledore added. “We are doing all we can to find your son.”

“Yes, so you've said,” Lucius huffed as he sat beside his wife. “However, Draco has been gone for two days,” he snarled, “TWO DAYS, Headmaster! I would like to know how a student can go missing from this school, without the staff’s knowledge, for two days!”

“Severus is Draco's Head of House, Lucius, and had he been here, instead of on an errand for _you_ ,” he said pointedly, peering over his spectacles, “he would have noticed your son’s disappearance and alerted me straight away. And, of course, we would have known sooner if Draco had not made his friends swear to keep silent about his unplanned adventure.”

Lucius glowered at Albus. The Headmaster ignored him. “I am positive that Draco is with Severus, Lucius.”

Lucius was about to reply, when a bright flash of light flew through the window behind the Headmaster. A beautiful, glowing doe appeared in the centre of the room, just before Severus Snape's voice echoed throughout the office.

“Draco Malfoy is with me. Have found Harry Potter. Expect an owl shortly.”

The three adults stared completely dumbfounded at the spectral doe as it disappeared. 

“Merciful Merlin,” Lucius gasped, “Did he say Potter!”

Albus took off his glasses and placed them carefully on the desk. He rubbed his eyes wearily, and then, not caring at all that there were two other people in the room, he looked up toward the ceiling and rasped, “Thank all the deities, our boy is coming home!” His voice was ragged with emotion, and two crystalline tears wound their way down either side of his wrinkled face before disappearing into his long, white beard.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*1 An Infrinn is pronounced ahn-efrin means ‘the hell’ 


	6. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HP and the DS continues

  
Author's notes: HP and the DS continues  


* * *

Disclaimer: See prologue for disclaimer.

This fiction is beta'd by smirking_muse.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Five

Harry ran through the hallways unaware that Draco had followed him out of the breakfast room. When he reached his room, he opened the door forcefully and bolted into it. He had every intention of grabbing Hedwig and returning to Snape right away. But now he allowed himself a moment of reflection, since he was finally alone. 

Harry was elated at having bested Professor Snape. However, he was still hurt and angry with the man for having nearly revealed who his mate was. It was none of the man's business, and Harry had not been ready for Draco to know. Harry was almost positive that Draco had figured it out. He had not been able to look the other boy in the face since Snape's near revelation. He had meant what he had said to his mother. Harry had wanted to give Draco time to get to know him. After all, they had not been friends at Hogwarts. In fact, they had been bitter enemies. Harry knew that occasionally time and space dulled rough edges, but he also knew that sometimes it made things sharper and clearer. His biggest fear was that Draco would not want to be with Harry, because he still hated or disliked him.

He walked slowly over to Hedwig's perch, confused by his churning emotions.

“Something troubles you, Harry?”

Harry looked over to the nearby tank. His snake, Snape, was lounging on the rock in the centre of the large glass enclosure. The reptile's head was peering over the edge of the tank to stare at him. Harry smiled at the black adder.

“Hullo, Snape. How are you this morning?” Harry questioned as he moved closer to the snake. “Did the elves feed you?”

“Yes, they did, although the white mice give me flatulence. You shall inform the green-twitchers that I prefer nice, fat rats.” The snake nodded its head, confirming its own statement. Harry grinned at the snake's antics. 

“Are we going to Hogwarts?” Snape asked.

“Yeah, yeah, we are. Today I think.”

“And this is what has you troubled – or is it Whitey?”

“Whitey?!” Harry looked incredulously at his pet.

“I speak of the human who stayed with you last night.”

“Oh, Draco. I'm not sure he'd appreciate being called Whitey, Snape.”

“I do not care,” the black adder sniffed haughtily. “He is your mate. Is he not?”

Harry glared momentarily at the snake. Once again, he was convinced that he had given the stubborn creature the right name. “Do you suppose you could call him Draco, please?”

“No, I could not.”

Harry sighed. Just as he could not get Snape to stop calling the house-elves ‘green-twitchers,' he resigned himself to hearing ‘Whitey' when speaking with the cantankerous snake. “Fine,” he huffed.

“You have disregarded my question, Harry. I am not mere decoration to be ignored,” the snake snipped.

Harry rolled his eyes. “I didn't ignore what you said. You just caught me off-guard with ‘Whitey', is all!” Harry said crossly. The snake merely blinked its amber eyes, awaiting a response. “Alright, alright – yes, Draco is my mate.”

“I do not like him,” Snape replied. “He will divide more of your attention away from me, and I already have to share with that flying menace.” Harry found himself rolling his eyes again. “But, I suppose it does not matter what I want. You will do as you wish.”

“It's not like I have much choice, Snape. He's my mate, the one I'm destined to be with.” Harry leaned against the table beside the tank. The snake reached its head out and rested it on Harry's shoulder. 

“Then what troubles you?” Snape asked. “I can smell your distress, Harry.”

“It’s just that Professor Snape almost told Draco that he was my mate! I wasn't ready to let him know just yet.”

This Professor Snape has a prestigious and scholarly sounding name. It follows that he would be a reasonable and intelligent man. I should like to meet him,” the snake hissed in Harry's ear. “Why would you not want to tell Whitey he is your mate?”

Harry growled in frustration. “Because I’m not ready to tell him! I wanted Draco to get to know me better BEFORE the added pressure of knowing he was my mate!”

“You are afraid,” the snake surmised. “You are afraid he will not want to be your mate.”

Harry's shoulders slumped, causing the snake to lose its purchase. “Stupid half-ling!” he hissed nastily.

“Sorry,” Harry mumbled.

“You should be more careful with me!”

“I said I was sorry!” Harry cried as he reached in and pulled the snake the rest of the way out of the tank. Snape immediately wound himself around Harry's arm, hissing his displeasure. Harry walked over to his bed and lay down on his side, letting the snake curl up beside him. “I am sorry,” he said again, glancing down at the snake.

“You should be,” the snake said irritably, as he settled himself more comfortable on the bed. “Now, tell me why you are afraid.”

“I don't know,” Harry whined, rolling onto his back.

“You are lying,” Snape stated. The snake stretched its body, placing its head directly in front of Harry's face. “You will tell me and cease this deception, or I shall not endeavour to assist you any further.”

Harry sighed. The snake could be a real pain in the arse sometimes. Yet, Harry knew Snape was right, and no matter how short-tempered the reptile could be, he had often helped Harry with his problems. “I'm afraid Draco won't like me,” he whispered pathetically. “What if he doesn't, Snape?! I don't know what I'll do if my mate hates me!”

“Foolish half-ling,” the snake hissed. “Whitey will be honoured to be the mate of such a powerful one as you. I do not like Whitey, but I do not believe he is a complete idiot.”

“Why should he be honoured? Listen, Snape, he's not going to want to be stuck with me!! I'm a boy!! I don't even know if he likes boys that way!”

The snake merely looked at Harry coolly. “Why would fate give you a mate that would not want to be with you?”

Harry hadn't thought of that before. Why would fate do that? That would be terribly unfair. Then again, when had fate ever been fair to Harry Potter? There was a long list of black marks beside fate's name in Harry's books: his parent's murders, the Dursleys and right at the top, the cause of all Harry’s misfortunes, Voldemort. It was only the past four years that Harry had been truly happy – and now fate had thrown him a mate, and not just anyone, no, but Draco Malfoy, a _boy_ that had despised Harry. Harry was beginning to believe that fate had it out for him. He just wasn't meant to be happy. Whenever he got too happy, that irascible fate would step in and pull the rug out from underneath him.

“You have company,” Snape said, interrupting Harry's contemplation. Harry sat up and looked toward the door to see Draco standing there with a curious look on his face. Harry blushed slightly, having been caught talking about the other boy, until he remembered that Draco didn't speak Parseltongue. 

He sat up and said softly, “Hi.”

The blond boy smirked at Harry. “Do you often natter on with that snake?” Draco asked as he walked toward Harry.

Harry glanced back at Snape, who had started hissing angrily, “Did Whitey just imply that _I_ natter? You will inform that imbecile that I discourse, discuss, advise, speak, deliberate, debate, colloquy or converse, but I would never natter!” 

Harry chuckled and looked back up at Draco. “Yeah, I do.” Snape hissed angrily again. “Um – Snape wanted me to tell you that he does not natter.” 

Draco looked oddly at Harry for a moment. “Oh, the snake!” he finally exclaimed. “You may tell him I apologise.” 

Harry giggled again. “You might want to address Snape himself, Draco. He can understand you, you know.”

Snape slithered off the bed, hissing about ‘idiotic humans.' He proceeded to climb back into his tank, coil into a tight ring, and ignore the two boys.

~~~~~~

“Where is the blasted boy with the promised owl?!” Snape growled.

“Do try to remember, Severus, that the ‘blasted boy' is my son,” Carlin responded in a sing-song voice. Snape scowled at her.

The Queen gave Aberforth, who was still seated at the table, a knowing look. “I'll just be off ter check on the lad, then,” the old man said, standing and moving toward the door. “Want ter make sure he packs what he needs.” He made his excuses and left Snape and Carlin alone.

Carlin was still sitting across from Severus. Her expression was contemplative and, quite honestly, unnerved Snape. He shifted awkwardly in his seat. He had a good idea that Carlin was none too happy with his outbursts this morning, and for reasons he did not understand yet, this upset him. The last time he had felt chastised by a mere look had been when Lily had been alive. He had strongly believed no one would ever be able to do such a thing to him again. He was beginning to realise that Carlin and Lily were very much alike, and yet, they were still so very different. The two women were intelligent, witty and charming. Luckily for him, they both had a wealth of patience and an immense kindness that came naturally to them. And they were both quite beautiful. Carlin's long, dark curls and lavender eyes were a stark contrast to Lily's auburn waves and bright green eyes. Lily had a fiery temper when provoked, whereas Carlin had a quiet, cool anger. Having been on the opposite end of both their ire, he preferred the fiery one, since at least then he had known where he stood.

“Speak your mind, Carlin,” he hissed, though with no real venom.

She quirked her brow at him, “I am considering where to begin with you, Severus,” she said, clasping her hands together on the table top in front of her. “Perhaps if you would explain your foul attitude toward Harry, I might know where to start.”

Snape peevishly crossed his arms over his chest and looked away from her. “The boy is arrogant and self-centred!” he snarled. “He is a spoilt and reckless rapscallion, just like his father!”

Carlin sat back and observed him for a moment before she sighed heavily. “Oh, Severus, how far from right can one be?!”

“Now see here, Carlin…”

“No, Severus,” she cut him off. “You do not know that child at all. You had him in your class for what? Nine months?!” He nodded his head absently. “I told you last night that you were not correct in your assumptions about Harry's past, and yet, you still foolishly spout such vile nonsense.”

Feeling somewhat unjustly chastised, Snape glared across the table at Carlin. “The imp obviously has you hoodwinked, Carlin!” 

“Hoodwinked? Oh, Severus, you cannot be serious?!” Snape opened his mouth to respond, but the Queen wouldn't allow it. She held up her hand in a plea for him not to speak. Though he did not appreciate the gesture, Snape nodded his head for her to continue. “Harry is not James, a croí, far from it. If he was spoilt at all, it was well before the child can remember.” Carlin's eyes softened somewhat as she watched Snape. “The Dursleys were not kind to Harry, Severus. I would say at the very worst they despised him and at the very least they resented him.” She rose from her chair and walked around to stand in front of the Severus. “I know that James Potter was unkind to you, even cruel, but you must separate Harry from James. Harry never knew his father long enough to be influenced at all by him. Having met James Potter, I would say that Harry must be far more like Lily.” 

Snape frowned at her words. Lily had been his only ‘love' all these many years. She had been able to look past his shortcomings and idiosyncrasies to see someone worth knowing. He had resigned himself to never again feeling as though he belonged – until now. He found it hard to believe that Harry possessed the same qualities his mother had.

“Oh, but Severus, he does,” Carlin said, reading his thoughts. Snape gave her a look of disapproval. “I am sorry, dear-heart. I cannot help it at times. Let me tell you about Harry, and you shall judge for yourself if I am right.” Severus merely shrugged his shoulders, feeling defeated and jaded. Carlin smiled at him sympathetically, brushing her fingers along his cheek gently before she continued.

“Some of this may be hard to believe, Severus, but believe me when I say that it is the truth. When Harry came to live with the Dursleys, his room, or I should say that the place they chose to keep the child, was a broom cupboard.” Snape looked up sharply, Carlin merely nodded, confirming her statement. “From the time he was fifteen months until he received his Hogwarts letter, Harry slept there. They never told Harry the truth about his parents’ deaths, or that they, and he, were magical. What they did tell him was that his parents died in a car accident and that James was an unemployed lay-a-bout and a drunkard. Harry's young life consisted of doing a long list of impossible chores. He cooked, cleaned and functioned as the Dursleys’ slave. Mr. and Mrs. Dursley used food as a weapon, often not feeding the child at all. Harry's clothes were the cast-offs of his older and much larger cousin. He was told that they would not spend money on a ‘worthless freak.' While Mr. and Mrs. Dursley only physically hurt Harry on occasion, his cousin often did. Dudley Dursley and his band of friends had a game they called ‘Harry hunting.' Harry never received a birthday present or Christmas gift from the Dursleys in the entirety of the time he spent with them. Mr. and Mrs. Dursley lavished all their love and attention on their own child and ignored the needs of their nephew. 

“They verbally abused Harry every day for the ten years Harry spent with them. They locked him away in a cupboard, starved him and used him. And yet, Severus, Harry is not bitter – scarred maybe, but not bitter. He still has the most overwhelming ability to love and to be loved. He is kind and thoughtful. He stoutly defends those who cannot defend themselves. Tell me, a croí, does that not sound more like Lily?”

Snape stared at the woman in disbelief. Could he have been wrong about the boy? Of course he could have! He had never given the child a chance, had he? Harry had shown up that first day looking so very like James Potter that Snape had taken an immediate dislike to the boy. Snape was sure that he had also observed flashes of what he had considered that Potter arrogance though. He was also having difficulty believing that Albus Dumbledore would have left the blessed saviour of the wizarding world with guardians that would have abused the child, and he said as much.

“I cannot believe that the Headmaster would leave a wizard child, especially Harry Potter, in such a situation, Carlin!”

Carlin shook her head sadly at his stubbornness. “Do you believe that Harry told me all of this? I saw it with my own eyes in his mind, Severus!” she exclaimed heatedly. “Ask your blasted Headmaster, if you do not believe me.” 

Carlin walked briskly back to her chair and sat down. She shook her head wearily before looking toward Severus again. Feeling slightly castigated, Snape waited for her to gather herself. “I do try to control the ability to see others' thoughts, Severus, but Harry was so damaged when he came to me that in order to help him, I found it necessary to delve into his mind. I know about which I speak, and I am positive that Albus knew Harry's situation. I am sure he has his own reasons for leaving a child in such an abusive situation; however, in my mind’s eye, it is unconscionable. And believe me, Severus; I shall be having words with the Headmaster when we meet.” Severus did not doubt her. She had been in and out of his own mind without him having been aware of it. He suddenly found he did not want to argue with her further.

“I should like to be present when you speak with Albus,” he told her, hoping this would end their discussion. She nodded her head in agreement.

“Now, I should like to make arrangements for our journey through the forest, but first, is there anything else you would like to know, Severus?” Carlin asked.

There were many things Snape wanted to know. However, there had been one thing that had been pressing on his mind since the evening before.

“Why James Potter?” he blurted unashamedly. “If I am your mate, why James? And why have you waited so long to tell me?”

~~~~~~

The two boys had been sitting silently beside each other on the edge of the bed for quite some time. Harry was once again studying his mate. He had been truly shocked to discover that his mate would be a male and nearly devastated that it was to be Draco Malfoy, but then his mother had taken him aside and discussed the matter with him. She had told him that his mate would complete him perfectly and that if Draco was his mate, then the boy must have changed in the years since Harry had seen him last. Harry had been very sceptical, but to his delight, she had been right. This blond boy sitting beside him was nothing like the spoilt git he had met all those years ago. This boy didn't sneer all the time. He smiled, a lot. And when he did, his entire face lit up and his eyes sparkled. And those eyes! They were no longer the cold, calculating steel gray he remembered. No, Draco's eyes held warmth and humour that Harry was sure was not there before. They were not merely gray but flecked with a pale blue that reminded Harry of a winter sky.

Harry allowed his mind to wander back to the evening before. When he had emerged from the toilet and discovered Draco looking over his desk. The blond boy had his face turned away from Harry, and he had been wearing the deep blue trousers the faery had handed him earlier. And nothing else. Harry had never thought he would be attracted to another boy, but in that moment, with Draco's tall, lean form backlit by the ambient glow from the window, allowing his pale hair to shimmer in the dimmed light, Harry had felt a deep attraction to Draco. The other boy was truly handsome- devastatingly so. This revelation had unnerved Harry. He could imagine that Draco had no end of admirers back at Hogwarts and would not look favourably on being tied to a single person at their young age. For Harry, there was no choice. To be truly happy and content in life, he would need his mate. The same might not be true for Draco.

Draco shifted on the bed, leaning back and using his elbows to prop himself up. “You're staring again,” he said.

“I know. I'm sorry.” Harry reclined back onto his side to face Draco.

“Is it because I'm your mate?” Draco asked, quietly.

“Yes,” Harry whispered, not the least bit surprised that Draco had figured it out.

Draco turned toward Harry. “Are you upset that it's me?”

“Not anymore.”

Both boys were speaking in hushed tones, speaking only to and for one another.

“But you were?”

“Yes.” Draco raised a concerned brow at that answer. “You've changed from what I remember,” Harry added quickly. “I – I like you now, very much.”

“Then why didn't you want me to know?” Draco reached over and brushed a stray lock of hair from Harry's forehead, allowing his fingers to trail down the edge of the faery boy's face and along his jaw.

“I was afraid,” Harry said in a gasp of breath as the fingers brushed against his skin.

“Of what?” Draco moved closer.

“That you wouldn't want me.”

“That was very foolish of you, Harry,” Draco said as he moved impossibly closer. “Why would I not want you?”

“I – I'm a boy.” Harry trembled with anxiety at being so close to his heart's chosen one.

“Does this matter?” Draco asked. As his gray eyes locked with Harry's, they were full of emotions – concern, warmth, kindness, determination, and Harry was nearly overwhelmed. “In the wizarding world, Harry, there is no prejudice against such things.”

“There isn't?”

“Not anymore.”

Harry could feel the other boy’s breath on his face as he stared into Draco's eyes until Draco leaned in further and his lips touched Harry's. The kiss was chaste, and yet, so very intimate, a mere brush of lips until Draco's hand slid into Harry's hair and pulled the boy closer…

“Now that's enough of that!” The boys jumped apart and looked toward the door to see Aberforth Dumbledore standing there, a twinkle in his eye and a devilish grin on his face. “That boy's not of age yet and I ‘spect neither are you, Malfoy,” he growled as he entered the room. 

“Professor Snape's waitin' on that owl, Harry. Budge along now, you know he don' like ter be kept waitin'. And I'm right sick of listen' ter him grouse.”

~~~~~~

Carlin hesitated before she answered Severus. “You know that the Daoine Sìth, for good reasons, have stayed out of wizard conflicts since Merlin's time.” Snape nodded. “That does not mean that we have not played our part at certain times. We have had visions, and when appropriate, we have acted on them. We here in the Bárd have more so than others, due mainly to our proximity to Hogwarts.” Snape nodded again, though he could hardly see what any of this had to do with fornicating with James Potter. 

“Many years ago I had a dream vision.” She paused and appeared to be considering her words. “I dreamt of a stag. In my vision, the stag and its mate, a beautiful white doe, had a fawn. They were immensely happy together. But then the dream changed, and the family was being hunted through the forest by an evil basilisk. The stag died defending its family and then the doe sacrificed herself to save her fawn. My dream vision shifted suddenly and the fawn was replaced by a dark-haired, green-eyed human baby boy and the basilisk became your Lord Voldemort. Voldemort attempted to kill the babe but the curse rebounded, and he was defeated instead. As you can imagine, at the time it made no sense at all. I consulted with Mab and she believed the vision was incomplete. 

“Two years later, the vision began to complete itself. First I dreamt of the stag, running through the forest with a werewolf and a large black dog. I was puzzled at first, for a werewolf is seldom accompanied by any thing other than other wolves. Then, two nights later, the stag appeared again to transform into a young man, with dark, messy hair, hazel eyes and spectacles. In this vision, I accepted the stag/man into my bed and conceived a daughter. Years later, the babe from the first vision appeared at the foot of the hawthorn tree as a young boy. He was battered, bruised, and near death, and I aided the child.” She looked at Snape. “A fortnight later, I dreamt of my daughter laughing and playing with her younger brother, teaching the child to be just that, a child.”

Snape snorted. “Are you telling me that you fucked James Potter so his son would have a playmate?” he snarled.

“Don't be vulgar, Severus,” Carlin said crossly, brushing aside his comment. “After the last dream, I consulted Mab again. We both felt strongly that the boy was special and important to the wizards and worthy of the Daoine Sìth's assistance. We decided that should I encounter the stag, I would follow my instincts. So, when the very same stag wandered into the Bárd, I did just that, Severus. Sorcha gives Harry the one thing that no one else can, a croí, a family born of blood that loves him. That is something the Dursleys never gave the boy. It was why the stag was sent to me, Severus. Don't you see that? My vision was to help Harry after he defeated Voldemort. That is what the dream was telling me – the one thing I could give the child, which would mean more than anything else, was a family that loved him.”

Snape's scowl deepened as he mulled over her words. He could not argue with her reasoning, and therefore, he aired his final major issue. “Why not come to me sooner?” he spat out, more hurt than angry.

“Ah, dearest Severus,” Carlin began, shaking her head amusedly, “When I dreamt of you before my quickening, it was of this man sitting before me, not the youth you were. I knew I would have to wait a very long time for you, mate of mine. Did you expect me to be chaste all that time?” 

Snape was not pouting! The blasted woman had a point. And he was certainly NOT jealous of James Potter. James was dead and in the past. Perhaps it was time for Snape to leave him there.

“Did you really want a virgin in your bed last night?” Carlin laughed. However, before Snape could answer, two very flushed and agitated boys entered the room, one carrying a snowy-white owl. 

“What has happened?” Carlin asked the boys in concern.

“NOTHING!” they both shouted suspiciously at once.

Draco stood off to one side looking guilty. Snape narrowed his eyes at the boy. “Draco Malfoy, what is wrong?”

Draco looked at Severus carefully before saying, “Nothing, Professor, what's wrong with you?”

“Nothing!” Severus snapped.

“Exactly,” Draco replied somewhat cheekily. Harry snickered as he placed his owl on the table in front of Snape along with parchment, a quill and ink. 

Snape gave his student a dark look before as he set about writing his letter, and Harry turned to Gyre-Carlin, “Mother, do I have time to show Draco the glen? The elves are finishing my packing, and I promised him last night,” he added hurriedly.

“I believe you have an hour or so but no longer. We will be leaving when the unicorns arrive, and you know they hate to be kept waiting.”

Snape looked up at the woman, exasperated. “Unicorns?” he said.

“Well, Severus, we do want to make an entrance, do we not?”

Severus was about to retort until he realised the effort would be futile. He shook his head and went back to his letter. Perhaps he would omit that they would be arriving on unicorn back.

~~~~~~

It had been two hours since Severus' Patronus had appeared in Albus Dumbledore's office. He had immediately summoned his deputy and Harry's former head of house, Professor McGonagall. She had been gobsmacked, to say the least, and now she, he, and the Malfoy's were waiting nervously for the promised owl.

Albus had briefly argued with Lucius Malfoy as to whether they should contact the Ministry of Magic, but luckily Narcissa had stepped in and staid her husband's hand. She had explained that Harry would be overwhelmed, and that they should wait and see what Severus had to say in his owl before acting rashly. Lucius had reluctantly agreed.

The atmosphere in the room was one of concerned anticipation. For Albus, the sorrow that had claimed his heart when Harry had disappeared four years ago was slowly leaving him, to be replaced by a quiet hope and relief. 

Relief that Harry was alive and that he would be home soon. Hope that the child, or he should say the young man, had been somewhere safe and that he was in good health. Hope that Harry would forgive him for the life the poor boy had been destined to live before he had disappeared. 

He wondered where Severus had stumbled across the boy. Had he been taken in by a hermit who might be living in the wood? Though unlikely, maybe the centaurs had taken in the human child. He was certain Harry was not with the Daoine Sìth, for he had gone personally to the Camhanaich Bárd looking for the boy that very night. The Queen had not been there, but a familiar looking dark-haired faery had told him that Harry was not in the Bárd. Well no matter, he would have his answers soon.

Right on cue, a white owl flew through the office window. Albus smiled at the creature. Professor McGonagall gasped.

“That's Harry's owl!” she exclaimed, none too calmly. The owl in question hooted and held out its leg to the Headmaster. The four of them gathered close to the desk as Dumbledore removed the note and read aloud.

_“Headmaster,_

_I am sure the Malfoys are with you. Please inform them that Draco is unharmed and that he shall be serving detention when we return for his disobedience. I had not intended for him to travel with me into the forest. Indeed, I had forbidden him to accompany me, and by the time I had discovered his insubordination, it had been too late to return him to the safety of Hogwarts. I regret that I was remiss in notifying the school that the recalcitrant youth was with me, and for this, I do apologise, Albus.”_

The Malfoys exchanged a relieved glance, and Albus gave them a knowing look. He quickly returned to the letter.

_“As for Harry Potter – when we arrived in the Camhanaich Bárd, we were greeted graciously by their Queen, Gyre-Carlin. She accepted our offering and asked us to join in the Beltane celebrations. It was at this time we discovered that Harry Potter was among the Sìth. In fact, he is one of them. Yes, Headmaster, Potter has wings._

_According to Gyre-Carlin, the boy arrived in the meadow that night near death. Her only chance to save Potter's life was to take him to the Seelie Court. She consulted with the highest of the fae, Queen Mab. Yes, Headmaster, that Mab. Gyre-Carlin has told me that Mab created a potion infused with blood from Mab herself and Gyre-Carlin. This potion, as you can imagine, had a significant impact on Potter, and he is now Sìth, or at least, partly so. We can go into further detail when we arrive._

_Gyre-Carlin felt it was in Potter's best interest to remain with her for a time. On this point, Headmaster, I am inclined to agree with her._

_We will be arriving late this afternoon. Our party will consist of Draco and me, of course, in addition to Potter, Gyre-Carlin, and one not so unfamiliar guest. Gyre-Carlin will be staying at Hogwarts with your grace, Headmaster, and I will discuss that matter with you personally at a later time._

_S.S._

_P.S. Please inform Narcissa that all went well and to plan for a February birth.”_

The Headmaster placed the letter on the desk. He was none too pleased that he had apparently been misled.

“I thought you went to the Bárd that night, Albus?” Professor McGonagall asked.

“I did,” he answered with a note of displeasure. “Gyre-Carlin has much to explain,” he added as he summoned a house-elf to prepare rooms for their guests. 

Lucius was startled from his contemplations when his wife's hand slid into his own. He glanced at Narcissa. Her eyes were glassy with unshed tears, and a small smile turned the corners of her mouth slightly as though she hid a secret joy. Lucius held his breath momentarily; he could not remember his very attractive wife looking as beautiful as she did this very moment.

~~~~~~

Out on the castle grounds, two Gryffindor students were making their way from greenhouse three to the entrance hall. An intelligent-looking girl with bushy brown hair looked up. She stopped dead in her tracks and nudged her companion, a tall and lanky red-head. “Ron, look,” she said, pointing upwards. The young man did as he was told.

“It's an owl, Hermione,” he said, somewhat confused by her sudden interest in owls, despite that they were an everyday occurrence at Hogwarts. “Come on, we'll be late for Charms.”

“Not just any owl, Ronald. It's a white owl,” she said significantly.

“So?”

“Uhrr. How many white owls do you know of?”

Ron Weasley paused for a moment and contemplated. Granted, white owls were unusual and not common to Britain. He actually could only remember ever seeing one snowy owl and that had been Harry Potter’s. Ron felt his jaw drop. “Harry,” he whispered.

“Exactly, Ronald,” Hermione said excitedly. The two students clasped hands and took off at a run for the school entrance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	7. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HP and the DS continues...

  
Author's notes: HP and the DS continues...  


* * *

**Chapter Six**

Harry led Draco down some winding stairs. Near the bottom, Harry turned to Draco and grasped both his hands. “Do you trust me, Draco?” he asked. The tall blond nodded his head. “Then close your eyes, and don't open them until I say so,” Harry commanded excitedly. Harry let go of Draco's hands to take hold of his elbow and led him carefully the rest of the way down.

Draco sensed when they had left the enclosure of the tunnel. His nose was immediately struck with the sweet smell of flowers and the slightly acrid smell of minerals. The warmth that radiated around him was steamy, like a hot-house used to winter over delicate plants. Harry had directed him carefully down what he could only surmise was a stone-laid path. They then stopped, and Harry let go of his elbow. Draco sensed Harry moving to stand directly in front of him. Then he heard the faery whisper, “Open your eyes, Draco.”

As he did, he gasped. All around them were flowers, blue-bells and lilies, roses and lavenders, chamomiles and daisies and blooms he could not immediately identify. He smelled the fresh scent of mint and rosemary nearby and turned his head to see large clumps of herbs mingled with the lush meadow grass, all surrounding a deep pool with water that was so clear you could see the stones beneath it. In the distance, a separate and raised steaming pool lay surrounded by huge boulders. The heated water spilled over the edge into the cooler pool below, casting a fine mist of heated air outward along with the ripples of disturbed water.

Draco could hear frogs croaking near the water’s edge and dragonflies buzzing along the top of the pools as they alighted upon lily-pads before flitting off again. The entire sight before him was something out of an enchanted tale told to children before they went to sleep at night. Draco was enraptured.

He glanced down at Harry. The dark-haired boy was watching him anxiously, and Draco realised he was looking for his reaction. “It's amazing, Harry,” he said truthfully. Harry smiled as he reached out and grasped Draco's hand once again, leading him toward the water's edge.

“Do you swim, Draco?” he asked. “The water's quite warm.” 

“Swim? Now? You can't be serious, Potter,” Draco said incredulously.

Harry glanced back at him. “Why not?” he questioned, slightly hurt.

“I do not have my swim trunks,” Draco said haughtily. 

An odd expression came over the faery's face then. “Swim trunks?” Harry whispered. His brow furrowed for a moment before his face spit with a smile. “Oh, I remember!” he exclaimed. “Dudley had a pair of those when he took swim lessons at the local pool.” Harry merely glanced mischievously at Draco before he reached for the waistband of his trousers and slipped out of them, giving Draco a spectacular view of the dark-haired boy's arse. “We don't need them,” he said, looking at Draco over his shoulder. Harry tossed the trousers on the bank and slipped into the water.

Draco's mouth had suddenly gone very dry, and he licked his lips.

“Are you coming in?” Harry asked as he swam out towards the middle of the pool.

_Hell yes!_ Draco said internally as he rushed to strip his own clothes to join the naked boy in the water.

~~~~~~

Severus followed Carlin down a winding stair case. They were searching for the two boys as it was time to leave the Bárd. The house-elves had packed Harry’s and Carlin's trunks and personal items, and they were piled in the main hall awaiting departure. The unicorns would be arriving shortly. The only thing left to do was to gather the missing youths. 

Snape was carrying robes for Harry that Carlin had handed him before they set out on their search. The Queen had donned her own travelling clothes, and he had to admit she looked stunning in them. She wore a simple, deep rust-red flowing dress under a navy blue crushed-velvet cloak, which hid her wings quite effectively. Her long locks flowed freely behind her, and the deep, rich colours contrasted with her pale skin. Carlin was a vision to behold.

So intently was he studying Carlin that he had not yet realised that they had come to the end of the stairwell and were now entering a large open space. It was not until the warmth and the smell of the vegetation awoke his senses that he realised they had entered the glen. He found himself spinning in place, attempting to see all that surrounded them. The glen was a Potions master's dream. There were herbs and grasses of every sort, as well as flowers and plants that were difficult to find. 

A boisterous laugh interrupted his mental cataloguing of plants, and his eyes turned toward the large pool of water. There he saw Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter frolicking in the water. Had he not been in close contact with the boys over the past twenty-four hours, he would have believed he was hallucinating. As he and Carlin approached the edge of the pool, Carlin called out to the boys, “Harry, Draco, it is almost time to leave!”

Both boys turned at the sound of their names, and Severus was very surprised to see Draco blush profusely and pull Harry in front of himself. Of course, that was when Severus’s eyes focused on the pile of clothing sitting on the bank.

“Draco Malfoy!” he shouted. “Please do not tell me you are gambolling about in the nude!”

Draco blushed even more as the two boys approached the adults. Snape noted that Draco was careful to keep Harry positioned in front of himself. Obviously, he did not wish to expose himself to Carlin.

“Hush, Severus,” Carlin chastised, “the Sìth have none of your prudish notions.” Harry was smiling as he clambered out of the water, completely at ease with himself. Carlin waved her hand, and two large, soft towels appeared. She wrapped one around her son and held the other out so that Draco could climb out of the pool while preserving his modesty. Severus snorted at the young man.

“Perhaps the next time you feel the urge to disrobe in public, you will think twice, Mister Malfoy,” he groused. Carlin shot him a scathing look as she snatched the boys’ clothes from his hands. He quickly shut his mouth, though he harrumphed indignantly.

Harry was smiling happily as the Queen helped dry him and then began to hand him his garments. Draco, however, had slipped into his own clothes quite quickly and then went to stand by Snape. It was not lost on the older man that the young blond's eyes were locked on the dark-haired faery's increasingly less exposed skin. Severus found himself rolling his eyes in annoyance. 

After Harry finished dressing, the group made their way back to the main meeting room, finally ready to leave. It was nearing one in the afternoon by Snape's estimation. He supposed that they would arrive back at Hogwarts somewhere near dinner time, just in time for their ‘entrance.’ Though he had never ridden on a unicorn, he imagined that they would travel much faster through the Forbidden Forest and that what had taken Draco and him nearly two days would take the magical beasts substantially less time.

~~~~~~

Draco was an accomplished equestrian, having grown up in the pureblood tradition where riding lessons were a must. Malfoy manor had some of the finest stables around, and he had been riding since he was a small boy. He had never ridden a unicorn before nor ridden bareback. The experience was incredible. The unicorns moved through the forest swiftly and easily along paths that he was sure no wizard had ever travelled or for that matter could even see.

They followed the trail in single file; Snape led on a large stallion. Two young unicorns walked alongside the lead unicorn, Draco assumed they were a family, with Snape's mount being the leader – all the other unicorns were female, except one of the foals. Draco was behind Aberforth, and Carlin was in front of the old wizard. Harry was behind Draco, and two unicorns brought up the rear, carrying Harry’s and Carlin's belongings. Unfortunately, the single file formation did not allow for easy conversation, so they rode in silence. 

Draco supposed that Harry would be too nervous to converse much anyway. Though he himself always turned into a virtual chatterbox when he was on edge, and the silence was killing him. Fortunately, the ride was only a few hours long, and he had been fascinated by the trail. If he and Snape had known of this trail, it would have only taken them a day to reach the Camhanaich Bárd. The trail, he surmised, was hidden from humans by unicorn magic. He wondered if other creatures wandered the trails and if he would see them. He had only seen a centaur once and that was from a distance. It would have been fascinating to see one close up. Professor Hagrid had been trying for two years to get the centaurs to participate in a Care of Magical Creatures lesson, but they had proven to be very stubborn, and Draco had heard that they were insulted to be referred to as ‘creatures.’

Draco glanced back at the faery. Harry was looking pensive and worried, yet oh so very fetching. Draco had to admit that the travelling clothes Carlin had helped Harry into were ingenious. The trousers were plain and black but looked as though they were made of a soft wool material. The shirt was brilliant. It was made from a silky pale grey material that shimmered slightly. There was a slit in the back to allow Harry's wings to fly freely, and it buttoned up the front. The deep purple velvet cloak looked spectacular on the dark-haired faery, and the colour brought out the green in Harry's eyes, while hiding his wings quite effectively. Yes, Harry looked quite fetching indeed!

Draco found his thoughts flitting from one bizarre subject to the next; in fact, he was so bored with the lack of conversation that he began to mentally review his last Transfiguration essay. Thankfully, their group was finally emerging from the Forbidden Forest and onto the lush green lawn of Hogwarts. 

Draco heard Harry's sharp intake of breath behind him as the other boy caught his first glimpse of Hogwarts after four years. He looked over his shoulder and gave Harry an encouraging smile.

“It hasn't changed at all,” Harry whispered. 

Draco shook his head and replied, “Hogwarts never changes, Harry.”

The unicorns made their way across the lawn toward the main entrance. In the distance, they heard Hagrid's booming voice calling for quiet. Draco cringed when he heard Pansy's voice sounding like nails on a chalkboard, calling his name. Both Harry and he turned to look in the direction of Hagrid's hut when Harry's name was distinctly shouted. There, standing amongst the students, were Granger and Weasley, holding hands, pale and white-faced as they recognised Harry Potter. Draco felt a spike of jealousy when Harry grinned and waved at the two Gryffindors, but then Harry had turned back to Draco, smiling shyly, allaying any worries the blond may have had.

However, as the class became aware that Harry Potter was back, the students rushed as one toward the riders, spooking the unicorns. Draco had never been more thankful to see Headmaster Dumbledore than at that moment. The old wizard erected a barrier to prevent the crush of students from getting too close and to allow their party to dismount safely. Through the corner of his eye, he could see Granger and Weasley. He was secretly overjoyed that this time he had got there first. The busy-body Granger and her idiot of a boyfriend would not be coming between him and Harry this time. 

Draco turned his attention to the dark-haired boy, watching as the Headmaster embraced the youth.

“Harry, I had hoped you would come back to us,” the old wizard said, his eyes sparkling with unshed tears. “My boy, I am so glad to see you.” Harry blushed but returned the man's hug.

“It's good to see you, sir,” Harry murmured.

Dumbledore drew his attention away from Harry and to the rest of the party. “Your Grace,” he said stiffly to Carlin as he bowed, kissing her hand.

“Albus.” Carlin nodded coldly at the old wizard.

“Aberforth!? Whatever are you doing here?” The Headmaster's brow creased as he recognised his brother.

Snape interrupted anything Aberforth was about to say by stating, “Perhaps we can discuss that, among other things, inside, Headmaster.”

Dumbledore nodded and agreed, “Yes, of course, Severus.” He was still frowning slightly until he set his eyes on Harry, where once again Albus smiled brightly, and his eyes twinkled madly. “Shall we adjourn to my office? Draco, your parents are desperate to see you,” he added, glancing over to where Draco was standing and gesturing the group inside. Draco grinned and then reached out to grasp Harry's hand, walking toward the main entrance. Both boys turned back to look at the crowd, and Draco smirked as he noticed Weasley’s and Granger's shocked expressions. The last half of the term would be very interesting, indeed!

~~~~~~

Hermione Granger was quite agitated as she sat in her last class of the day, Care of Magical Creatures, with her boyfriend, Ronald Weasley. They had seen a snow-white owl fly through the window of the Headmaster's office earlier and had immediately gone to Professor McGonagall's office. The professor had not been there but had entered a few minutes later as Hermione and Ron had been arguing with one of the house-elves. 

She and Ron had confronted their Head of House demanding to see the Headmaster. Professor McGonagall had, of course, refused, despite Hermione’s suspicions about the white owl and its owner. The professor had given them both a very odd look after their explanations, and she had merely brushed aside their concern and sent them off to their next class.

Hermione was positive that Professor McGonagall had been hiding something, and she was determined to discover what it was. She had told Ron that as soon as classes were finished, they would go looking for the Headmaster. But first, they had to sit through this last class.

Normally, Hermione would be fascinated with the Fwoopers1 that Hagrid had procured for their lesson today, but she was too distracted to concentrate. The night Harry had disappeared replayed repeatedly in her mind. She had not wanted to leave Harry with that Malfoy prat; however, Hagrid had insisted that Harry had been far more able than either herself or Neville to handle Draco Malfoy. When Malfoy and Fang had rushed out of the wood without Harry and in a state of panic, she had felt her heart clench in fear. By the time they had found the clearing and discovered the dead unicorn and the horribly disfigured, two-faced Quirrell, her fears had been justified, and poor Harry had been gone. That had been almost four years ago, and she still had not forgiven herself for leaving Harry that night. Everyone had told her that it had not been her fault, but Hermione couldn't help her feelings of guilt. Ron had told her she had survivor's guilt, and perhaps he was correct. She just could not help wondering if she had stuck with Harry that night, perhaps he would still be with them, and Ron, Harry, and she would have become the best of friends. Hermione loved Ron and their relationship had bloomed into something unexpected, but there had always been something missing- some part of her that had been lost with Harry all those years ago.

Hermione was so lost in her own thoughts that she did not hear Ron's gasp beside her. It was not until the boy reached out and grasped her arm tightly that she looked up at the redhead. Ron was staring blankly off into the distance, his face so pale that his freckles stood out like beacons. She turned her head when she heard Hagrid’s deep voice.

“Don' move or yeh'll scare th' blighters off!”

Hermione and the entire class looked in the direction Ron and a few others were staring. From the dark, dense foliage of the Forbidden Forest, pure-white unicorns were emerging. The first were small and probably foals. First one, then two, and then a large fully-grown unicorn with a rider on its back came through the foliage. These were followed closely by four more riders on the white beasts and then by two unicorns with large packs on their backs! This was shocking to say the least, for unicorns were not known to allow anyone near them. As the riders approached the main entrance of Hogwarts, the students in Hagrid's class could see clearly that one of the riders was Professor Snape and another was unmistakeably Draco Malfoy!

Hermione heard Pansy Parkinson shout as she recognised Malfoy. Hagrid growled to tell the girl to be quiet. As the unicorns drew closer to Hagrid's hut, Hermione saw that one of the riders was a beautiful woman, another was an old, vaguely familiar-looking man, and the last- was a boy with fair skin and dark, messy hair.

“HARRY!” Hermione and Ron shouted at the same time. They stood as one, their hands tightly clasped. The dark-haired youth turned at the sound of his name, smiling he waved at the two.

As the entire class recognised that last rider, Professor Rubeus Hagrid lost control of the class and sheer pandemonium occurred as the students rushed forward.

The unicorns did not take kindly to the crowd and began to snort and to prance nervously. Luckily, the riders were far enough away and close enough to the main entrance of Hogwarts. Headmaster Dumbledore was striding down the steps holding his hand out. 

“Stop!” he commanded, and a barrier appeared between the students and the unicorns. “You will frighten them,” he continued in his normal, kinder voice as the riders dismounted. 

Hermione was desperate to get to her old friend, but the barrier would not let them pass, and she was unable to hear what was being said. Harry turned back toward the group solemnly; his smile had faded when the crowd had rushed forward. He looked over the crowd until his eyes found Hermione and Ron. He grinned again before turning to enter Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy's hand clutched in his own. Draco turned before he disappeared and smirked at them.

“What was that?” Ron demanded.

Hermione looked up into the tall boy's face, her own eyes narrowed and calculating.

“Why was Harry holding Malfoy's hand?!” Ron snarled angrily just as Pansy screeched, “Why was Draco holding Potter's hand?!”

Hermione didn't know, but she was going to find out.

~~~~~~

The group made their way up to the Headmaster's office without further incident as the last class of the day was still in session, and most of the students were otherwise occupied. As soon as they had entered the room, Draco's name was shouted, and the boy was enveloped in his mother's arms. Draco had not let go of Harry's hand, and the faery boy was dragged across the room as the worried mother began taking inventory of her son, making sure that he was safe and unharmed. Snape smirked as Lucius noticed the boys' clasped hands. Raising a challenging eyebrow at the erstwhile aristocrat, Snape could not help but be amused at Lucius' confusion.

Lucius recovered quickly though, and after making sure for himself that his son was in good condition and chastising the youth for his disobedience, he greeted the Queen. Bowing his head, he grasped Carlin's hand. “Your Highness, a hundred thousand welcomes, I do bid you.” Snape snorted, taking Carlin's hand before the blond aristocrat could kiss it or Carlin could respond. He manoeuvred the woman to a set of chairs, directing her to sit before he did.

The Headmaster gave Snape an odd look before saying, “Please, sit – sit and make yourselves comfortable. Tea should arrive shortly, as should Professor McGonagall.” 

Narcissa insisted that Draco sit beside her. However, Draco did not want to let go of Harry's hand, and Harry was gripping Draco's hand far too tightly while looking forlornly at Carlin. Snape soon became irritated. Pulling out his wand he Transfigured the chair next to Carlin's into a sofa and glared at the group. Harry immediately dragged the blond boy to the new piece of furniture, smiling at the professor. He sat beside his mother with Draco in the middle and Narcissa beside him. 

Professor McGonagall arrived precisely along with the tea as the Headmaster had suggested. She too greeted Harry warmly, with tears in her eyes and an embarrassing hug. Snape believed the two elderly professors were making too much of a fuss over the boy. In his estimation, it was time to get down to business.

Finally, Albus began the long awaited conversation…

“Harry, my boy, it does these old eyes good to see you at last, safe and happy.” The boy blushed. Snape sneered.

“Headmaster, perhaps Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy should take Draco back to the Slytherin common room,” Minerva suggested. Draco appeared ready to protest, but his father was first to declare his indignation.

“Now see here, Professor McGonagall,” Lucius bristled, “I am a member of the Board as well as a Ministry of Magic representative. I believe I have every right and, as a matter of fact, a duty to hear where young Mister Potter has been!”

Snape rolled his eyes. This could quickly turn into a debacle of epic proportions, and it was best to get right to the facts.

“Headmaster, if I may,” he said balefully. “There is no need for Lucius to leave unless Gyre-Carlin or Harry wish it.” All eyes turned to the two faeries. Harry shifted closer to his mother, still holding Draco's hand firmly in his own. 

Carlin merely glanced around the room, studying each of the new faces carefully before responding, “While I do not see a need for the Malfoys’ presence at this moment, I do believe Harry would be more comfortable if Draco were to remain.” That comment garnered quizzical looks from the two other professors and the Malfoys. Carlin patted Harry's arm affectionately. “After all, he would be far outnumbered with only adults surrounding him,” she added in explanation. Harry nodded in agreement, Draco looked about smugly, and matters were settled for the rest of the room.

“Very well,” Dumbledore said. “Severus, perhaps you and the Queen could fill us all in on the details,” he stated, turning his attention to Snape. 

Snape gave a long suffering sigh before speaking. “You have read my letter, Headmaster. It is as I told you. Draco and I encountered Harry with the Daoine Sìth. There is little more for me to add.” He looked to the woman sitting beside him, raising a dark brow.

Carlin smiled and shook her head at the dark man. “Severus, you can be incredibly obstinate,” she said, patting his knee affectionately before addressing the rest of the room. “Albus, I did read Severus' letter before he sent it. He did sum things up quite well. Harry found his way to the Camhanaich Bárd the night he defeated your Lord Voldemort. He was severely injured- close to death truthfully. My only hope to save Harry resulted in his becoming one of the Daoine Sìth.”

“Why did you hide the fact that Harry was in the Bárd that night?” Albus asked, peering over his spectacles icily. “I went to the Camhanaich Bárd looking for Harry, your Grace. I was told he was not there – and nor were you.”

“Please call me Carlin,” the faery queen said offhandedly. “All this, ‘your Grace and Highness,’ is grating on my nerves.” Snape could tell that Carlin was not intimidated by the Headmaster in the least. “You were told the truth, Albus,” she continued. “I had left that night with Harry for the Seelie Court, so neither of us was there when you arrived at the hawthorn tree.”

“And why was I not informed of that at the time?” Albus asked. His normally twinkling eyes became hard and cold as he looked at Gyre-Carlin. Severus shifted closer to the faery, suddenly feeling protective of her.

“And why should you have been?” she snapped back.

“Harry was a student at Hogwarts, and I was responsible for him,” the Headmaster said forcefully.

“We will be speaking privately about how responsible you have been for Harry, Albus Dumbledore!” Carlin nearly shouted. Snape and Harry both reached out and placed a comforting hand on Carlin's arms.

“Please don't fight,” Harry said quietly, and all eyes turned to the boy. “I'm back now, Professor, and my mother has taken very good care of me.” Albus' eyes shifted between Carlin and Harry.

“Mother?”

“Oh, sorry, Professor, er – yes, Gyre-Carlin sort of adopted me, I guess. It’s okay though; I think my mother and father would approve.”

“There is much that we should say privately, Headmaster,” Snape interrupted. “For now, it is enough to know that Carlin and the Sìth have cared for Harry these past four years. As I said in my letter, I believe that Carlin made the right choice in keeping Mister Potter with her, and as is evident, the boy is not merely a wizard any longer. I would imagine that it would have taken the child time to master his new powers.”

At this comment, Lucius looked carefully at Harry. “I do not see any ‘wings,' Severus?” he inquired.

Draco snickered at his father. “Oh, he has wings, Father. Show them, Harry,” he encouraged, causing the faery to blush.

“You cannot see my wings either, Mr. Malfoy. Do you believe that I am not Sìth as well?” Carlin asked, her voice tinged with annoyance. “Wizards are truly foolish beings!” The queen stood then and unfastened her cloak, removing it to reveal her colourful wings neatly folded against her back. She held her hand out to Harry, who reluctantly let go of Draco, and standing, he too removed his travelling cloak to expose his delicate appendages.

There were several gasps as the two fae stood before the group of wizards. Narcissa actually reached out to touch one of Harry's wings before she caught herself. Draco giggled with amusement as he did touch Harry, causing the diaphanous wing to tremble slightly.

“They’re beautiful, Mother, aren't they?” Draco said.

“Draco, stop!” Harry hissed indignantly. “You know those are sensitive!” 

“Yes, I do,” Draco replied lecherously.

“Draco Malfoy! Show some decorum, you fatuous child!” Snape snarled. “Enough of this foolishness! Sit down!” Snape stood and pulled Carlin protectively back toward her chair. “I would expect better of you, Lucius,” he growled nastily, glaring daggers at his oldest friend.

For several moments, everyone stared at the Potions master dumfounded, before Aberforth spoke, “Snape is right. We've got better things ter talk about, haven't we?”

Albus glared at his brother, but reluctantly agreed, “Indeed, Aberforth. I, for one, am curious as to how long you've known Harry was alive and well.”

“Since the beginning,” Aberforth stated simply.

“I asked Aberforth to tutor Harry,” Carlin said before Albus could reply. “He is an old friend, and I wanted Harry to learn about the wizarding world. He graciously accepted the task.”

Albus glowered at his brother and questioned, “Have I underestimated you, Aberforth?”

“Always have, Albus. But that's our own personal issue now, ain't it?”

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat, drawing everyone's attention. “If I may, exactly how far along is Harry in his studies?” she asked.

Snape, still seething from the earlier display, sneered unpleasantly, “That remains to be seen. He has shown some aptitude, but I would suggest that he be tested thoroughly before being reintegrated with the student populace.”

Harry furrowed his brow angrily at Snape. The man was satisfied that at least someone else was as irritated as he was.

“Test away, Snape. I told you earlier the boy could pass NEWTs,” Aberforth said proudly. “Boy’s a natural, he is, learns right quick an' has a keen mind, he does.”

Albus looked doubtfully at his brother. “I suggest we administer the same tests we would for a transfer student and see where exactly young Harry is,” he said, though his voice was tinged with uncertainty. Carlin smiled mischievously at the group, and Snape knew that she was confident that Harry would pass without doubt. He, however, was not so confident in Aberforth Dumbledore's teaching abilities, despite Harry's earlier display of knowledge. 

“I agree with the Headmaster. Harry can take your examinations, and if he passes, what then?” Carlin asked.

“Well, then he would rejoin his fellows, if that is what he wants,” Albus replied. “Now, it is getting close to dinnertime, and perhaps we can continue this conversation later.” The Headmaster stood. “For now, I suggest we let Harry get settled in Gryffindor Tower and Carlin in the guest rooms that we have prepared…”

“NO!” Harry shouted, and then flushed with embarrassment.

“Whatever do you mean, Harry?” McGonagall asked.

Harry scooted closer to Carlin, grasping her arm. “I – I don't want to, I mean, I want to stay with my mother,” he stammered nervously.

Dumbledore looked at the skittish boy, confused. “But, what of your friends, Harry?” 

“With all due respect, Headmaster, Harry has not seen anyone from Hogwarts for four years. He is not the same person he was back then. It is ridiculous to assume that he would be comfortable being thrust back in among strangers,” Draco responded. Harry's eyes locked with the blond boy's. Draco merely placed his arm around the faery's shoulders in a gesture of comfort. Harry immediately reacted by snuggling close to Draco. Lucius and Narcissa looked on with growing trepidation. They obviously could see that something serious was happening between the boys.

Snape shook his head, inwardly rolling his eyes yet again. However, he had to agree with the young Slytherin's assessment of the situation. Dumbledore was being foolish to believe that Harry would be able to step back into his old life as if the past four years had never happened. “I agree with Draco, Albus. I believe it would be best if Harry were to stay with Carlin.”

Harry smiled at Severus happily.

“And where exactly will that be, Severus?” Carlin faced Snape with a raised brow.

“We have prepared rooms for your use, Carlin,” Albus apprised benignly.

“I think not!” Carlin objected, never taking her eyes from Snape. “If you think for one second, Severus Snape, that I will be parted from my mate, you had better think again!”

“MATE?!” Lucius, Albus and Minerva exclaimed together.

“Yes, Severus is my mate, and I will not be separated from him.” Snape cringed and squirmed uncomfortably as those words sunk in.

Lucius Malfoy burst out laughing, a full rolling belly laugh. Both Carlin and Snape bristled with outrage. _How dare he laugh! Moreover, what was so amusing?_ Severus wondered bitterly.

Narcissa, however, smacked her husband’s arm, hard, and successfully shut the man up. “Lucius Malfoy, get control of yourself!” she chastised angrily. “You are being an insufferable, boorish cad! Now, stop this nonsense immediately.” The elegant blond stood and approached the angry couple. “Congratulations,” she said sweetly, leaning down to kiss Snape's cheek. “I am happy for you, dear friend.” She turned to Carlin and offered her hand. Carlin accepted it. “Congratulations,” Narcissa said again, “I wish you both joy.” 

“Thank you,” Snape said softly.

“Well, I guess I shall notify the elves to prepare your rooms for company, Severus,” Albus said, and his eyes twinkled like mad. Snape groaned. It appeared that he would be sharing his quarters with two faeries for the foreseeable future.

Albus glanced around the room. “I believe we shall be having guests for dinner as well. I shall have extra places set at the head table. Aberforth, you will, of course, be staying, and I should like a word with you before we head down to dinner.” Aberforth smiled like a loon. Snape was truly beginning to believe that the Headmaster's brother was a complete nutter.

“'Course, Albus. A brotherly chat would be in order, I think.” 

Severus stood, wanting desperately to get out of the office before any further revelations were made. He offered his arm to the Queen, who had also stood. Harry reluctantly followed before pausing and looking to the dark-haired professor earnestly.

“Are your rooms close to the Slytherins’?” he asked, glancing at Draco.

Snape snorted and led the group from the Headmaster's office without answering.

~~~~~~

Hermione and Ron had been waiting outside the Headmaster's office before being shooed out of the corridor by Professor Vector. The two were now sitting in the common room with the rest of the Gryffindors. Everyone was on pins and needles, desperate for any information about the return of Harry Potter.

Hermione had felt that she and Ron should have been included in the group meeting in the Headmaster's office. After all, she and Ron had been Harry's friends. If anyone should have been included, it should have been them and NOT that Malfoy brat. She was beyond indignant that the Slytherin prince was with Harry! It wasn't fair! Harry was a Gryffindor, and she was a prefect! Well, all right, so was Malfoy, but Hermione was the Gryffindor prefect. It should be she, and not Draco stupid Malfoy, in that meeting.

Ron was sitting beside her on the cushy sofa in front of the fireplace, chewing on his thumb nail. It was a nasty habit that she had tried to break the boy of to no avail. Whenever Ron was nervous, he gnawed off all his fingernails, right to the quick. This only added to her irritation.

Ron had told her that he was sure that Harry would be back in Gryffindor tower within the hour. That had been two hours ago. She didn't know how much more waiting she could take! At the very least, Professor McGonagall should have come to the common room and addressed the Gryffindors. After all, Harry was a Gryffindor! They had a right to know what was going on. Honestly! She was often annoyed with the professors treating her as though she were a child. Really, she was tied for top her class, a prefect, and a shoe-in for Head Girl in two years! Hadn't she proven herself enough? Well, this would simply not do. Dinner was in twenty minutes, and she would find out what had happened to Harry - no one could stop her!

Stupid Malfoy!

Ron, meanwhile, did not understand why Hermione was so anxious. Yes, they had all seen Harry Potter, but what was the big deal? Soon enough, Harry was sure to come through the portrait of the Fat Lady, and they would get all their answers. Hermione just needed to relax.

Ron wanted to know what all that hand-holding with bloody Malfoy was! Who held hands with a boy? Furthermore, why would Harry even want to touch that wanker anyway? Maybe Harry just forgot that they hated Malfoy- on principal. He just needed to remind Harry that Slytherins were scum, and you don't touch scum, unless it's to punch them in the nose. Only in that case was it alright to touch the slimy snakes. 

It was nearly dinnertime. He wondered what was keeping Harry. Oh, well. Maybe they'd have bangers and mash for dinner tonight. Yeah, that would be good and spotted dick for afters with some of that yellow sauce and treacle…

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

1 Fwooper is an African bird with brightly-colored feathers. A Fwooper's song will drive the listener insane, so each bird must be sold with a Silencing Charm on it. Referenced from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, by JK Rowling.


	8. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HP and the DS continues.

  
Author's notes: HP and the DS continues.  


* * *

See Prologue for disclaimer.

This fiction is beta'd by **smirking_muse**. 

 

**Chapter Seven**

Harry stood in the doorway of his new room, looking around cautiously. It was far smaller than his room under the hawthorn tree. But it was a nice room with a brightly burning fire in a small hearth, which gave the stone walls a cosier feel. Draco, who was behind Harry, gave him a nudge into the room.

Carlin, Harry, Draco and his parents had followed Snape out of the Headmaster's office and down the moving spiral staircase to the hallway, where Snape had asked the Malfoys to accompany them to their living quarters so that the professor could give them the blessed Gravid Fortuna potion. The group had walked down many stairs and had wound their way through many corridors before they had finally arrived at the Potions master's quarters. Snape had not looked too happy about having all these people in his private domain, and Harry had been sure that he had not wanted two faeries sharing his quarters. Upon entering, Snape had immediately scowled at the house-elves, who had been still rearranging the rooms for Harry and his mother.

The group had stood in uncomfortable silence in the main seating area before Snape had snarled angrily and stalked off, grumbling that he had to see what havoc the wretched elves had wrecked upon his rooms. Carlin had laughed commenting on how ridiculous they had all been behaving, and had sat down on a large, plush sofa set in front of a large fireplace. Apparently, that had sufficiently broken the ice, and Narcissa and Lucius had sat in the two chairs set on either side of fireplace, leaving Harry and Draco to sit beside Carlin.

The two elder Malfoys had immediately engaged Carlin in conversation, while Snape stalked in and out of rooms mumbling to himself. This had left Draco and Harry to themselves. The two boys had discretely risen from their seats and had cornered one of the house-elves to ask where Harry's room was. 

Thus, they were standing in what would be Harry's home for the foreseeable future. Harry wondered what would happen when he passed his tests tomorrow. He really did not want to return to Gryffindor tower and live in close proximity to a group of boys that he really did not know and only vaguely remembered. While he had hopes of reacquainting himself with Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger, he was not the Harry Potter that they remembered. A lot of time had passed, and he was changed in more ways than one.

Harry was unsure how his old classmates would react when they discovered he was no longer just a wizard. What would they do when they found out that Harry had wings? Would they reject him? Call him a ‘freak'? Harry had some glimmer of hope, however. Draco had accepted Harry's change without any trepidation at all, despite the fact that Harry and Draco had not liked each other four years ago.

“What are you thinking about?” Draco's voice interrupted Harry's thoughts.

Harry shrugged his shoulders and moved to sit on the bed. “I was just thinking about things.” Draco crossed the room and sat beside the faery. Propping the pillows against the headboard, Draco sat up and stretched his legs out on the bed. Draco motioned for Harry to join him. Gladly, Harry scooted up to the head of the bed and leaned against the stack of pillows.

“What things?”

Harry shook his head. He really did not want to voice his fears out loud. “Tell me about Hogwarts, Draco,” he said, changing the subject. Draco narrowed his eyes and stared at Harry for a moment. Then, as if making up his mind about something, he smirked and tugged Harry closer to him.

“Fine,” he said, rubbing Harry's arm, “we'll not discuss your deep, dark thoughts today.” Draco screwed up his face in mock contemplation. “Hogwarts, huh? Well, what would you like to know, my Harry?”

“Everything!”

Draco laughed and began to tell Harry all he could think of. He discussed the professors and the classes, Quidditch and his friends. Harry asked questions and Draco readily answered them. The two boys grew more and more comfortable with each other as time passed. Draco began asking Harry about his tutor and what subjects he had learned, and Harry was only too happy to tell Draco about Aberforth Dumbledore. They had just begun to talk about more personal things when Professor Snape billowed into the room.

“Must you two sit so close?” the dour man snarled. “Get up! It is time for dinner.” Snape turned and stalked from the room, scowling.

Draco chuckled softy as he stood up, straightening his robes. He glanced at Harry a slight uneasiness tightening the corners of his eyes. “Are you ready for this?” he asked concernedly.

Harry got off the bed and nervously smoothed out the duvet. “No,” he answered truthfully. “But what choice do I have?” He pulled at his robe, making sure his wings were covered.

“It will be fine, Harry,” Draco told him as he held out his hand and led Harry out of the room.

The group wound their way up to the Great Hall. Harry was relieved when Snape led them to the teachers' entrance. At least he would not have to make that long walk between the house tables. 

Snape paused before the doors. “I suggest the Malfoys and I find our seats,” he said, turning his attention to Carlin and Harry. “You two are to wait here for the Headmaster to announce you.”

“ANNOUNCE US!” Harry yelped.

“Potter, must you screech so! Yes, announce you. Now control your caterwauling, and wait here,” the man scathed as he opened the door and stalked through it.

“I am sorry, Dubhsìth,” Carlin said. “While you and Draco were talking, the Headmaster fire-called, I believe the wizards call it. I was able convince Albus to let you sit with me at the head table, but he would not compromise on the announcement." 

Harry swallowed nervously. He did not like the idea of being paraded about like a circus animal. Draco sensed his unease and grasped his shoulders, turning Harry so that they could look at one another.

“I will be right out there, Harry. Just look at me, and it will be fine,” he said soothingly. Carlin smiled at the blond boy.

Harry nodded his head, and his green eyes locked with Draco's for a long moment until Lucius cleared his throat, brow raised as he and Narcissa waited by the open door. Draco winked at Harry and then briefly hugged him, before turning and leading his parents out the door.

Carlin moved to stand beside her son. “He is right, dearest, all will be well. You'll see,” she said encouragingly.

Harry didn't quite believe her as he stood with his back against the wall, listening to the Headmaster ramble on.

~~~~~~

Hermione Granger watched as Professor Snape stalked into the Great Hall without Harry Potter. She frowned as she observed Draco Malfoy enter shortly afterwards with his parents. Malfoy moved to sit at the Slytherin table, while his parents sat at the head table next to Professor Snape. There were two empty seats left at the head table, also beside Snape, and there was a vaguely familiar old man sitting beside the Headmaster.

One of the two empty places was obviously for the strange woman that had arrived with Harry, but where was she? Moreover, where was Harry? Surely, the second spot was not for Harry? He would be sitting here at Gryffindor table where he belonged!

Hermione watched through narrowed eyes as Malfoy's housemates welcomed him back and peppered him with questions. It infuriated her to think that Pansy Parkinson would get answers before she would! It was not right! It was not fair! She and Ron had once again approached Professor McGonagall before dinner, only to be rebuffed rather rudely. Adding to her ire, Ron had merely shrugged and rambled on about bangers and mash!

Hermione gritted her teeth as Headmaster Dumbledore stood to address the student body.

~~~~~~

Albus Dumbledore looked out over the young faces. The news of Harry Potter's return had spread like Fiendfyre throughout the school. The children sat expectantly, awaiting news and first sight of their returning hero.

He had been elated when he had learned that Harry was alive and well, overjoyed when his eyes first set upon the young man. His heart was relieved that Harry had been loved and cared for all these years. While he held some resentment of the Faery Queen, he could not begrudge the happy and healthy child that he had seen this afternoon. Albus would be meeting with Carlin and Severus after the feast, but for now he would give the youngsters what they were waiting for – their first glimpse of Harry Potter.

Clearing his throat, Albus smiled benevolently. “Students of Hogwarts, today something wonderful has happened. Early this morning, I was notified by Professor Snape that he and young Mister Malfoy--” Albus gestured toward the Slytherin table, “--had found none other than Harry Potter!” The students all gasped at having the rumour confirmed. Whispering voices erupted all over the Great Hall. Albus allowed them a moment to grasp what he had just said before continuing, “Yes, yes, I know. But it is true. Some of your classmates saw young Harry and his party entering Hogwarts grounds this afternoon. He is indeed alive and well, I can assure you.” Albus glanced around the room as the voices calmed, and each student stared at him with rapt attention. “I spoke with Harry today, and he informed me that he has been living with the Daoine Sìth.” More gasps and murmurs of shock broke out across the hall. Dumbledore raised his hands in a motion for quiet. Once again, all the students and the teachers turned toward the Headmaster. “Harry was severely injured after his encounter with Voldemort four years ago. The Daoine Sìth found him and healed him. They took him in, and he was, in fact, adopted by the Queen of the Scottish Highland, Gyre-Carlin. Today we welcome home Harry Potter and his adopted mother Queen Gyre-Carlin.” Dumbledore turned toward the side door and watched as Carlin and Harry entered. She was holding Harry's hand in hers, guiding him toward the table where the Headmaster stood. Cheers and shouts broke out all over the hall. Cries of ‘Harry!' and ‘It's Harry Potter!' could be heard and thunderous applause welcomed the two Sìth.

Harry nervously clung to his mother, his face veritably red with embarrassment. Albus found Harry's humility amusing as he felt a huge burst of pride.

~~~~~~

Ron shouted and cheered with the rest of the Great Hall as Harry finally entered, and everyone got their first glimpse of the Boy Who Lived. Ron observed the changes in his friend from what he vaguely remembered. It had, after all, been four long years, since he had last seen Harry. The memory of the boy he had been friends with had begun to fade into distant memory, but from what he could glean from his mind, Harry had not grown very much at all. Though, he had always been small for his age. Harry also appeared to be – well – to be honest, quite pretty?! That was a bit weird. 

Ron turned toward Hermione. “He looks different,” he said.

Hermione, Ron noted, was scrutinising their long-lost friend carefully. “Yes, he does,” she answered as her eyes narrowed. Ron turned back to the front as the Headmaster began speaking again.

“Yes, yes, a very nice welcome home, students.” The Headmaster beamed as he placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. “Harry will hopefully be joining you in classes soon. Now, we shall enjoy our feast,” Dumbledore said as he guided Harry and the Queen toward the two empty seats at the head table.

“Harry's not sitting with us?” Ron asked, shock and dismay evident in his tone as he turned back toward his girlfriend.

“Apparently not,” Hermione said, still looking at the head table.

“Why not?” Ron whined. “He's supposed to sit with us! He's a Gryffindor!” The others sitting around Ron and Hermione noisily agreed. 

“Yes, he should,” Hermione agreed simply. 

The feast appeared before them, and Ron immediately forgot what he was going to say as he looked forlornly at the steak and kidney pie and roasted venison with all the fixings on the table. “I was hoping for--”

“Yes, yes, bangers and mash, Ronald, I know,” Hermione cut him off, scooping a bit of mashed potatoes onto her plate. “I wonder why Harry's not sitting with us. Did you notice if anything has changed in your room?” she asked.

Ron made a sour face, taking a large slice of pie. “No. But then, I didn't go up there. We were all waiting for Harry in the common room.” Hermione glanced at the other sixth year Gryffindor boys, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan shook their heads.

“I didn't see anything new,” Neville answered. “I was changing before we left for dinner.” Ron snorted, causing Neville to bow his head in embarrassment. Neville had upset the Fwoopers in Magical Creatures, and one had messed all over the nervous boy's robes and trousers. 

Hermione wacked Ron on the arm, chastising him for laughing at a fellow Gryffindor, “You are a Prefect, Ronald, so act like one,” she said snootily. “You need to be setting a good example. I suppose the elves will prepare for Harry, while we are in the Great Hall,” she surmised. 

Ron glanced back up toward the head table. Harry was sitting between the beautiful woman Dumbledore had said was a queen and an elderly wizard Ron did not know. Harry was chatting with the old man happily, his eyes darting occasionally toward the Slytherin table. That struck Ron odd. Why wasn't Harry looking over here? He should be looking at Gryffindor! He should be looking at him and Hermione! What was going on?!

“Is it just me,” Seamus Finnigan questioned, “or is Harry's skin lookin' a bit sparkly?”

“I noticed that too,” Hermione answered. “I wonder what happened to him?” Ron scratched his chin in thought as he shovelled a rather large chunk of pie in his mouth. “Dumbledore said the Sìth saved his life, so I suppose it could be some sort of after-effect,” Hermione continued, while glaring at Ron's overstuffed mouth irritatingly. Ron nodded, not really caring as he poured a rather large amount of gravy over a rather large portion of buttery mashed potato. 

~~~~~~

Draco sat amongst his friends at the Slytherin table, refusing to answer any questions regarding Harry Potter. Pansy had been most annoying, demanding to know why he had been holding Harry's hand earlier. He merely gave her a cold stare and told her it was none of her business. Unfortunately, that led to Pansy simpering pathetically and cloyingly hanging on to his arm. Medusa's twitchy tail, the girl was irritating!

Draco sat with his usual Malfoy arrogance and listened to the Headmaster with an air of boredom. However, he could not hide his excitement when Harry came through the doors. Although he had just left the boy, he could not help but sit up straighter and watch the faery boy. He was sure, and quite frankly did not care, that his fellow Slytherins could tell he was acting strangely. Let them talk. He only had eyes for the pretty boy standing nervously in front of the entire school. Draco watched as Carlin and Harry moved to sit beside Professor Snape, and the feast began. 

Everyone began filling their plates and gossiping about the unusual events of the day. Draco filled his plate as well, though he kept glancing to the head of the room and pointedly ignoring any questions regarding his and Snape's weekend with the Daoine Sìth. Of course, his inattention only caused Parkinson to cling closer, rubbing her ample breasts against his arm in an attempt to draw his focus back to her. Draco yanked his arm forcefully away from the girl and stood abruptly. “Shift over, Goyle,” he demanded. Gregory Goyle slid down the bench to settle next to Pansy without even a backward glance as Draco moved to sit between the large boy and Vincent Crabbe.

Satisfied with the seating arrangement and smirking to himself at Pansy's indignant cries of outrage, Draco looked back up to the head table, catching Harry's confused expression. Draco merely smiled and nodded his head graciously at the faery.

Draco glanced several times at the Gryffindor table. Secretly, he was overjoyed as he watched them discussing Harry Potter. He knew that Granger would be hell bent on knowing what had happened to Harry and annoyed to no end that he knew more than she did. He did not get along with Hermione Granger at all. And not because she was Muggle-born. She was a galling know-it-all, who constantly stuck her nose into everyone else's business. Before Harry had disappeared, Hermione had been somewhat a busy body, but not nearly to the extent she was today. For some reason, Hermione had become even more driven after Harry disappeared, and she had become more of a stickler for not breaking the rules. Perhaps it was because it had been rule-breaking that had lead to that detention on that night four years ago. Draco didn't know, and truthfully, he did not really care.

Draco turned his attention toward the dim-witted redhead beside the Granger girl, Ronald Weasley. Draco loathed the boy. Partly because Weasley had taken Harry's friendship away from Draco in their first year, or at least that was how Draco had seen it, and partly because Weasley hated everything Slytherin. Since He Who Must Not Be Named's demise, things had changed at Hogwarts. The other houses had made a conscious effort to get along. There still was inter-house rivalry, but now it was more of a friendly rivalry and all in good fun. Except for Ronald Weasley. Weasley hated everything Slytherin, despite the fact that Dean Thomas was dating Daphne Greengrass, a Slytherin, and despite the fact that Neville Longbottom's best friend was Theodore Nott, again a Slytherin. Even Seamus Finnegan got on with the ‘Snake House’ and could be seen at Friday night poker in Slytherin commons. Only Weasley and Granger still displayed animosity toward Draco's house. It was absurd. But then again, so was Weasley. 

Draco's contemplation was interrupted by a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Professor Snape behind him.

“Draco, have you finished?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Your parents wish to say their goodbyes, and I would appreciate it if you would keep Mister Potter entertained this evening while Gyre-Carlin and I meet with the Headmaster.”

Draco grinned. “Of course, sir,” he said happily as he rose and followed the professor toward his waiting parents, Carlin and Harry. Glancing back one more time at the Gryffindor table, he noted with malicious pleasure the sour expressions of Weasley and Granger.


	9. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HP and the DS continues

  
Author's notes: HP and the DS continues  


* * *

See prologue for disclaimer

This chapter is beta'd by **smirking_muse**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Chapter Eight**

Professor Severus Snape sat behind his desk at the front of the Potions classroom, the events of the past few days pressing on his mind. He had left Carlin with Harry very early that morning with the excuse that he needed to prepare for the day of classes. Though he knew this would take but a few minutes, he had lied to the two fae so that he could have a quiet moment to himself and clear his troubled thoughts. 

Glancing at the clock on the wall at the back of the room, he realised he would need to head back to his quarters in an less than an hour so that he could take Harry and Carlin to breakfast in the Great Hall before escorting the Sìth to the rooms in which Harry would be tested.

Severus leaned back in his chair and sighed, his hands rubbing at his temples. Much had changed in such a short period of time, and so much had been revealed last night- so much, in fact, that the surly professor found his mind disquieted and his emotions on edge. His mind drifted to the meeting he and Carlin had had with Albus Dumbledore the night before, and once more, his ire and guilt flared as all of the accusations Carlin had laid at the Headmaster's feet were confirmed.

Snape grimaced and took a deep breath, reminding himself that Albus had not realised the extent of the Dursleys treatment of Harry Potter. The elderly professor had only known that the Dursley family had disliked magic and perhaps had not shown the boy much in the way of affection – and that perhaps they had not fed the child properly. He had not known the extent of emotional and physical abuse that the young boy had endured. When Carlin had gone into great detail, going so far as to show Albus and himself what she had gleaned from Harry's mind, the wizened old wizard had been heartbroken, and Snape himself had been left with so much regret that he might have collapsed under the weight of it. 

Carlin, though, had been unrelenting in her anger at Albus Dumbledore. She had immediately demanded to know why Harry had been left for so long with such abominable creatures. The Headmaster had then explained about Lilly's sacrifice and the blood wards. Albus had told of how he had had only a short period of time to protect the boy from renegade Death Eaters, the Dark Lord and the Ministry of Magic. He had explained that though Petunia Dursley had resented Harry, perhaps even loathed the child, she had taken him in, and by doing so, had sealed the wards Dumbledore had placed upon the boy.

The only place in the entire world that Harry had been truly safe was the place where his mother's blood had dwelt – with Petunia Dursley.

Carlin had then accused the Headmaster of abandoning Harry to his fate by not checking on the boy and leaving him to the mercy of the Muggles. Snape's eyes flashed in anger as he remembered that Dumbledore had had no excuses to give the Sìth Queen. Severus still could not fathom why the greatest wizard of the age, Albus Dumbledore, had never bothered to check on his charge. It was unconscionable! 

Wrapped up with his confused feelings regarding Albus Dumbledore were Snape's own guilty feelings. He, himself, had been guilty of assumptions where Harry Potter was concerned. He, himself, held no small amount of remorse for his treatment of the boy. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Had he not judged the boy upon first glance? Had he not seen James Potter and never bothered to look for Lily Evans? 

Truth be told, Severus was not only trying to reconcile the disillusionment of his mentor's failures but his own behaviour toward the last link to his first love.

Severus glanced at the clock one last time, sighing again. He heaved himself reluctantly from his chair and walked toward the classroom door. It was time to put the past behind him. Beyond time, in fact. He set his jaw and walked steadily toward his own quarters. It was time to give Lily's son the chance he should have had from the beginning. It was time to stop regretting and start living. Severus nodded his head determinedly as he turned down the passage toward his rooms. His future was in those rooms. His new life lay in wait, and he found himself very nearly happy with anticipation of what the future would hold.

~~~~~~

Harry looked out over the Great Hall, watching as the students tucked into their morning respite, chatting amongst themselves and casting curious glances his way. His eyes wandered to the Gryffindor table where he noted that Hermione Granger was blatantly staring at him. He shifted nervously under her scrutiny, and his eyes immediately sought out the Slytherin table. Draco was not in the Great Hall yet, and he found himself longing to see the blond boy.

Harry sat between his mother and the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Remus Lupin, whom he and Carlin had been introduced to just moments ago; Professor Lupin had shaken his hand with a sad smile and told Harry that he had been very good friends of Harry's parents, James and Lily. Despite the man's apparent genial disposition, Harry could sense something unnatural about Lupin, some darkness that dwelled in the man.

Harry shivered noticeably, drawing Carlin's attention away from Professor Snape. She leaned in close to Harry and whispered in his ear, “You are fidgeting, dalta. What is the matter?”

Harry turned toward his mother. “There is something wrong with Professor Lupin. I can feel it!” he said just as quietly.

Carlin gave Harry a reassuring smile and patted his hand. “I sensed it also, Harry. That man is a werewolf.” 

Harry's eyes widened in surprise. “Really?!”

“Yes. But, not to worry, Severus says he is completely harmless.”

Harry was about to respond to that, when the hall doors opened and Draco Malfoy walked in surrounded by his Slytherin friends. Harry immediately sat up, a smile blooming on his face. Draco's eyes locked with his for a moment, and the Slytherin waved and smiled back at Harry. In that instant, all Harry's worries faded, and there was nothing else more important in the world. Harry heard Carlin giggle beside him and whisper to Snape, “Ah, true love.” Harry blushed and looked back down at his plate. 

“Professor Snape,” Harry said suddenly, his voice tinged with alarm, leaning forward so that he could see the man sitting on the other side of Carlin, “will I be able to see Draco today?”

Snape rolled his eyes in annoyance. “I would hope that you would be more concerned with the testing you are to undergo shortly,” he bit out caustically before his expression softened. “However, I am sure that Mister Malfoy will make time for you today, Harry.” The relief Harry felt at the man's words must have shown on his face as both Carlin and Professor Snape chuckled with amusement.

The mention of tests must have drawn the Headmaster's attention as he looked down the table at Harry. “Are you prepared, my boy?” he asked.

“Oh, yes, Headmaster,” Harry answered immediately. “Draco filled me in on the subjects the fifth years were taking this year last night, and I don't think I'll have any problems at all,” he said confidently.

The mention of the night before seemed to have troubled Dumbledore, and he looked at Harry seriously. “I should like to speak with you when you have finished your exams, Harry.”

Carlin and Snape both glared at the Headmaster, who raised his hand in a placating manner. “One or both of you may accompany Harry,” he told them. Harry's eyes darted nervously between the three adults. “Do not be alarmed, my boy! You should not be concerned either, Carlin; I merely wish to speak with Harry.” 

Carlin relaxed visibly. “I will accompany Harry then, Albus.”

“As shall I,” Snape said, brooking no arguments.

Before anyone could respond, the Great Hall doors flew open with a bang, and a large group of wizards all wearing regal purple robes save one entered. They marched up the centre aisle with purpose. The man leading the group was a short, slightly round man wearing the most lurid green robes and the silliest acid green bowler atop his head. Harry found the man so odd that he had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing out loud at the site of him. So amused was Harry that he did not notice the adults around him tense, not until his mother grasped his hand in hers tightly. Harry felt the smile melt from his face as turned his head to look at Carlin. Her eyes were set hard and her lips pursed in annoyance. Harry then noticed that Snape was scowling viciously at the man in green, and when Headmaster Dumbledore had stood, his eyes were glacial.

“Cornelius,” Dumbledore said coldly.

“Dumbledore,” the man in green, whom Harry now knew was called Cornelius, replied nastily as he stopped before the head table. 

“To what do we owe this unexpected pleasure?” Dumbledore asked knowingly.

“It has come to the Ministry's attention that Harry Potter has returned.” Cornelius looked directly at Harry hungrily as if Harry were a prize. This made Harry distrust the man intensely. “He will be coming with us,” he said imperiously.

Carlin, Snape and Professor McGonagall immediately stood, Carlin dragging Harry behind herself. 

“He will not,” Dumbledore replied lightly.

“My son will not be going anywhere with you, Cornelius Fudge!” Carlin spat.

Fudge's attention was instantly drawn to the woman now shielding Harry. Harry gulped nervously as he felt his mother's magic surrounding him. “And you are?” Fudge asked.

Snape, Harry noted, had moved closer to him and his mother, his wand tightly held in his right hand. Harry also observed Draco stand from the Slytherin table, and he began to make his way surreptitiously along the wall toward the head table. Carlin however had flung off her cloak which hid her wings. She gently shoved Harry behind Snape as she stepped forward toward the man.

“I shall tell you who I am! I am Gyre-Carlin, Fae Queen of the Scottish Highlands, Keeper of the gates of Sluag, daughter of Queen Mab!” she announced, spreading her wings and letting her magic expand until she was radiating with power. “Do you dare to defy the court of the Seelie!”

Fudge paled before her as did the group of strangers accompanying him. Carlin glared at the group. “Harry shall go nowhere with you! Not now, not ever,” she hissed between clenched teeth.

“Now see here,” Fudged stammered. “You have no authority here! This is a wizarding matter; the Daoine Sìth cannot interfere in a wizard matter!” Fudge shouted, somewhat unsurely.

“Oh, but we can,” Carlin said with a cold smile. “Harry Potter is my dalta, my adopted son.” 

“You cannot! Th – that's not legal! The Ministry won't recognise this adoption,” Fudge spat shrilly, his face red with outrage.

Carlin's magic crackled ominously. “Do you wish to have the wrath of the Daoine Sìth once more upon the wizarding world, Fudge?” 

“I would hold your tongue, Cornelius,” Lucius Malfoy demanded as he walked quickly up the aisle, hastily fastening his purple robes. “Why was I not informed that the council was making an unannounced visit to Hogwarts?” 

Cornelius Fudge nervously rubbed his chin. “Ah, Lucius,” he sighed. “We were unable to contact you on such short notice,” he lied.

“Really?” Lucius raised one regal blond brow as he pinned the Minister for Magic with a steely gaze. 

Draco reached Harry just as Lucius reached Fudge. The blond grasped Harry's hand and pulled the faery to him, wrapping his arms protectively around him. Harry was shaking with outrage and fear. “What does he want?” Harry whispered angrily.

“He's an idiot. Don't worry, Harry,” Draco said reassuringly, “no one will be taking you away.” Draco rubbed his hands down Harry's back, feeling the wings beneath the robe Harry wore tremble at his touch. Harry shuddered at his mate's attention. Leaning into the taller boy, he settled his head against Draco's chest, sighing despite himself in contentment.

“Lucius,” Fudge snarled, “you cannot condone this outrage! Harry Potter is a national treasure! He belongs to the Ministry!”

Harry vibrated with outrage at having been referred to as a thing! Draco was doing his best to calm the angry boy.

“He is a boy, Cornelius, not a thing!” Lucius gasped angrily. “Have you lost your senses, man?!” Lucius turned toward Carlin and Dumbledore. “My apologies, Your Grace.” He bowed his head at Carlin. He then turned to the group of wizards dressed in purple robes surrounding Fudge. Lucius glowered at each of them. “It is not the purpose of the Council to the Wizengamot to kidnap children.”

“Now just one moment, Lucius…” Fudge stammered. “The Daoine Sìth have no right to adopt wizarding children willy-nilly!”

Draco snickered and mouthed ‘willy-nilly' at Harry who then had to muffle his own chuckle against Draco's shoulder. 

“If you are disputing Queen Gyre-Carlin's adoption, Cornelius, I suggest you go through the proper channels at the Ministry,” Dumbledore said benignly. “You are, after all, Minister for Magic. For now though, I believe Mister Potter shall remain here at Hogwarts, where he belongs with his fellow students.”

Fudge pulled himself up to his full height, which was not very much in Harry's opinion, and puffed up his chest. “See here, Dumbledore, the Ministry has rights…”

“As does my son!” Carlin cut him off.

“HE IS NOT YOUR SON, WOMAN!” Fudge screeched.

Carlin's eyes glowed, her wings expanded, and in a flash, she was over the table and standing right before Cornelius Fudge. “What did you say?” she asked dangerously. 

Fudge had the good sense to step back in fear; that, however, appeared to be the limit of his good sense. “He is a wizard, madam – NOT a faery!” he blurted out heatedly.

Harry had had enough of the foolish man. He stepped forcefully away from Draco and around Professor Snape. “No, I'm not,” he stated simply. All heads turned to look at Harry. He walked slowly down the length of the table and made his way around it to come and stand beside his furious mother. Gently, he grasped her closest hand in his own, smiling briefly at her before turning to face Fudge. “I am not just a wizard, Mister Fudge,” he said quietly as he reached up with his free hand to undo the clasp on his cloak.

“Harry,” Carlin said soothingly, “you do not have to do this.”

Harry looked at her again, “Yes, I do, Mother. I am not ashamed of who I am.” Harry let his cloak drop to the floor of the Great Hall. The huge room was still and silent, every person present had their attention fixed with anticipation on the saviour of the wizarding world. Harry stood with his back straight and shoulders squared, proudly spreading his wings for all to see. 

For one brief moment, there was a shuddering stillness before the room filled with a cacophony of gasps and shrill whispers. Fudge's eyes were wide, his pupils dilated, and his mouth hung open in shock.

Harry grinned at the man. “You see, Mister Fudge,” he said softly, “to save my life after I killed Voldemort, my mother had to use blood magic. I am now partly Daoine Sìth.” Those nearest to the conversation leaned closer in order to hear what the boy was saying. “I am very proud and happy to be her son, sir, and I have no desire to go anywhere with you. So, I think you should leave before you anger her any further. I don't think you would like what happens when you make her angry, and to be quite honest, sir, I don't think you would like to make me angry either. It is, after all, widely known that you really should not make a Daoine Sìth angry, sir.”

Fudge stood rooted to his spot, gobsmacked. He seemed incapable of movement or speech in Harry's estimation. Harry glanced sideways at his mother. “Do you think he's alright, Mother?” he asked mischievously as Draco and Snape joined them in front of the head table, the blond chuckling with laughter.

Carlin turned toward Harry and grasped his other hand in hers. Her face was shining with so much love and pride that Harry blushed before her. “I think, my dearest child, that I don't really care if he is or isn't,” she said before tugging Harry's hands and pulling the boy to her in a fierce and loving hug.

Lucius grasped Minister Fudge's arm tightly and spun the man around shoving him toward the door. “Come, Cornelius, you've done enough damage for today.” Lucius smiled, nodding his head regally at the two fae and the headmaster. “Your Grace. Albus,” he acknowledged, shoving a sputtering and protesting Fudge down the aisle. The rest of the group followed in their wake.

“I do believe classes started ten minutes ago,” Albus said as he also came around the head table to stand with Harry and Carlin just as Carlin let go of her son. “Off you go.” He motioned for the children to leave the Hall. As if a sudden bell had gone off, the professors and students rushed out of the Hall. Dumbledore peered at Draco with twinkling eyes over the tops of his spectacles. “You have classes as well, Mister Malfoy.” Draco touched Harry's arm lightly before he reluctantly followed his fellows out the doors.

Dumbledore grasped Harry's hand. “Well done, my boy,” he said, “very well done. Now, shall we get on with our day? Severus, you have a class to teach, and I am quite certain that you have several exams to take this morning, Mister Potter.”


	10. Chapter Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HP and the DS continues...

  
Author's notes: HP and the DS continues...  


* * *

**Disclaimer:** See prologue for disclaimer.

This fiction is beta'd by **smirking_muse**.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Chapter Nine**

Draco stomped down the hallway in the dungeon toward the Potions master’s office. He had not seen Harry Potter since this morning, and for some reason, this irritated the Slytherin. He had hoped to see him at lunch, but Harry had not been at lunch in the Great Hall that afternoon. This had worried Draco, much as it pained him to admit it. He had suffered through his last classes of the day, fretting over Harry Potter. To add to his troubles, Granger and the Weasel had accosted him right before DADA, demanding to know about Harry. He had told them it was none of their concern, naturally, and stormed into the classroom, glaring at anyone who so much as breathed his way.

As soon as the last bell for the day rang, Draco was out of his seat and determinedly stalking toward Professor Snape’s office. Woe betide anyone who dared get in his way! 

His target in sight, Draco quickened his step. Reaching the door, he threw it open and demanded, “Professor, where the fuck is Harry Potter?”

Three things happened at Draco’s rude entrance: first, Harry, who had been sitting in one of the guest chairs in Snape’s office, jumped up and squealed happily, “Draco!” before throwing himself into the blond’s arms; secondly, Professor Snape snarled, “Language, Mister Malfoy, and where are your manners?! I don’t know who you think you are or what privileges you believe you are entitled to, but you do not enter my office without knocking, and you certainly DO NOT enter shouting like a banshee. If you ever display such disgraceful manners again, I will be contacting your mother!”; and finally, an indignant voice bellowed from the open doorway from which Draco had just entered, “Harry, what are you doing?! You don’t touch slimy snakes!!”

Draco spun around with Harry still in his arms and glared at Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger.

“Twenty points from Gryffindor,” Snape said as he stood.

“I don’t care about stupid points, you greasy git!” Ron shouted. 

Snape’s eyes narrowed as he stood up behind his desk. “Twenty additional points from Gryffindor. Would you care to make it an even fifty, Mister Weasley?”

Hermione grabbed Ron’s arm, pinching him hard. “Ouch! Hermione!”

“Shut it, Ron,” the girl hissed.

“No, Hermione! Look at him,” Ron whined as he pointed despondently at Harry. “Look what he’s doing!”

Hermione grabbed her boyfriend and tried to drag him back down the hallway. “Ronald, shut up!”

“What’s your problem, Weasley?” Draco sneered.

Ron would not allow himself to be pulled away, and he glared nastily at Draco and Harry. “I’ll tell you what my problem is, Malfoy. YOU and – and – Harry and you always touching him!” the boy exclaimed heatedly. Ron looked at Harry pleadingly, “Harry?”

Harry moved away from Draco and toward Ron and Hermione. “Hullo, Ron, Hermione,” he said shyly. 

Hermione took a tentative step forward. “Harry,” she gasped, her eyes damp with unshed tears. In the next moment, the girl had closed the gap between them, and Harry found himself with an armful of weeping Hermione. “Oh, Harry, I’ve missed you. I was so worried about you! Why didn’t you let us know you were alright?!” she babbled into his hair. 

Draco could see that Harry was hardly comfortable, and he would have smirked at the faery if he had not suddenly found himself angrily itching to remove the Gryffindor from Harry’s person! Draco began to growl as Harry attempted to disengage himself from the bushy-haired prefect.

“I’m fine, Hermione,” Harry said soothingly. “Really, I am,” he added further, while trying to remove himself from the vice-like grip the girl had him locked in. Draco scowled nastily and began to move toward the two, intent on removing the know-it-all limpet from his Harry! Before he could grab a fistful of bushy hair, Carlin’s hand on his arm stopped him.

Draco turned and glared at the faery Queen, who merely pet his arm indulgently and stepped in front of him.

“Hermione,” she said soothingly, “that is your name?” The girl looked over Harry’s shoulder at the woman; eyes puffy with tears, she sniffed and nodded her head. Carlin smiled at the young woman. “Harry has mentioned you very fondly.” Carlin glanced at the other boy still standing in the hall, just outside the office door, glaring accusingly at the people within. “Ron Weasley?” she questioned. Ron merely scowled and roughly shook his head. Carlin’s eyes widened in surprise at the redhead’s apparent animosity. “Harry has also mentioned you with great affection. I am Harry’s adopted mother, Gyre-Carlin,” she said, holding her hand out toward the sniffling Gryffindor girl. 

Hermione reluctantly let go of Harry and moved toward the Queen to greet her properly. “Pleased to meet you, ma'am,” she said with a slight curtsy.

Draco took the opportunity to reach around Carlin and grab Harry, tugging the boy back into his arms. Ron hissed angrily, gaining the attention of both of the females.

Carlin approached the boy, holding out her hand. Ron stupidly stood his ground, eyes fierce and arms crossed indignantly across his chest. 

“Ronald!” Hermione hissed.

“Fifty points from Gryffindor,” Snape snarled, “for improper decorum.” He rounded the desk and stalked toward the door. “It would behove you, Mister Weasley, to remember your manners immediately, or you will discover exactly how many cauldrons Longbottom has ruined these past five years!”

Ron had the good sense to look abashed for a second or two. However, he did not reach toward Carlin’s outstretched hand. Instead, Ron turned abruptly to Harry and Draco and demanded, “Malfoy, let go of Harry NOW!” He then stomped petulantly toward the two boys and angrily grabbed Harry by both arms and yanked the boy forcibly away from the Slytherin. 

The redheaded Gryffindor grasped Harry tightly by both arms and shook him violently. “You’re a fecking Gryffindor! Wake up! We don’t mess with snakes. What’s wrong with you, Harry?! What’s happened to you?!”

Both Snape and Draco reacted immediately.

Draco pulled his wand out and was about to cast a nasty curse, and Snape wisely stepped in front of Carlin, whose magic had started to radiate angrily, but it was Harry who stopped Ron in the end.

Harry brought up both his hands and shoved hard against Ron’s chest, dislodging himself from the forceful grip. The fae boy looked upon the outraged face of his first friend and sadly shook his head.

“I am not just a Gryffindor anymore, Ron,” he stated softly. Harry pursed his lips and glanced at Draco, shaking his head, and Draco lowered his wand. “I’ve changed, Ron,” he said. “You know I never thought I’d see anyone from Hogwarts ever again, especially you or Hermione.” He glanced then, smiling gently at the girl standing in shock beside the two boys. “I wished desperately to see the two of you, to tell you that I was okay, but I couldn’t. Things had changed so drastically for me, and I wasn’t sure anyone would accept it, but then, Draco and Professor Snape came to the Bard and they both were just… well, happy to see me,” Harry shifted a sly look at Snape, grinning, “they accepted me as I am now. I hoped that you would too.”

“Harry, they’re Slytherin,” Ron whined.

“What does that matter now, Ron?” Harry asked. “Why should it?”

“It just does.” Ron stated.

“Oh, Ron, I feel sorry for you. It doesn’t matter where the Hat places you, what matters is what’s here.” Harry placed his hand on Ron’s chest just above his heart. “It doesn’t matter; it’s what’s inside that counts and really, Ron, Draco and Professor Snape didn’t care that I had been a Gryffindor, what they cared about was me.”

“But they don’t, can’t you see that?! They’re slimy, Slytherin Snakes!” Ron grumbled. “They don’t care about anything, not a one of them! They only care what’s in it for them!”

Harry looked at his old friend directly, his own eyes wet with tears. “How much you miss in life, Ron, if all that you see is a house. Draco accepted me without prejudice- and for that matter, so did Professor Snape. Yet, you, who were my first friend ever, hold me to ideals I can’t hope to manage. I feel sorry for you, Ron. I truly do. But I won’t give up what Draco has given to me. I won’t give up Draco.”

Ron hissed angrily. “Fine! Have your snakes, Harry! But don’t expect a happy welcome home from Gyffindor!” He turned abruptly and stalked out of the door and down the corridor.

Hermione sniffled and gently rubbed her hand along Harry’s arm. “I’ll talk to him, Harry,” she practically sobbed as she ran out the door and after her boyfriend.

Harry turned and fell into Carlin’s arms as Snape stepped aside, sobbing into his mother’s embrace. Draco and Snape closed ranks and enfolded the two faeries in their strong arms.

“Twenty points from Gryffindor,” Snape murmured, “for sheer idiocy.”

~~~~

Albus Dumbledore sat in his large comfortable chair, looking out the windows behind his desk. To any observing the elderly headmaster, they would believe he was merely taking in the glorious scene of a late afternoon in springtime. Aberforth, however, knew his brother better. Having just entered the office quietly through the spiral staircase, he could observe his brother in a rare, unguarded moment.

Albus was troubled, with good reason. Guilt was a heavy burden after all. Aberforth may not have always gotten along with his older brother, indeed they had not always seen eye-to-eye on a great many subjects. But, that did not mean that the two brothers did not care for each other. In their own way, both had proven over the years that they understood one another more than either like to admit. 

Given such a singular opportunity, Aberforth observed his brother carefully. The sun was beginning its trek low in the sky, bathing the office in that most unique light of burnished orange tinged with pink. The effulgence, when combined with Albus’ long white beard and hair, gave the Headmaster an almost eerie glow, seaming to highlight the deep wrinkles time had etched in the man’s face and the furrow of his troubled brow. In this very moment, Albus Dumbledore looked every bit his one hundred and fifteen years.

It felt crass to break the stillness of the room, yet Aberforth would. He would play brother confessor, allowing Albus an outlet for his soul’s perceived sins. Their sister, Ariana, would have asked as much of Aberforth if she were still alive.

“Albus.” The headmaster started and looked wearily toward the voice. 

“Aberfoth,” he said lightly, turning in his chair to face his younger brother, “I was not expecting you this evening. Come in,” Albus waved his hand toward the guest chairs, “sit. Would you care for some tea?”

“Tea would be grand,” Aberfoth answered as he sat down.

Albus waved his wand, and tea and cakes appeared on the desk. He poured two cups handing one to his brother. “Do help yourself, Aberforth. The elves make a most delicious clotted cream and lemon curd.”

Aberforth leaned forward adding milk and sugar to his tea. “How did Harry do on his tests?” he inquired, picking up a scone slathered in the aforementioned cream. For the first time since Aberforth had entered the office, the twinkle that was normally ever-present in his brother’s eyes returned along with a beaming smile.

“He passed magnificently. I have indeed underestimated you, brother. I should have offered you the Defence Against the Dark Arts post years ago.”

Aberforth chortled. “Aye, but I’d not have taken ye up on it. I’m happiest with me bar and me goats, Albus. I’ve not the temperament to teach a bunch o’ dunderheads.”

“Yet you have done a very admirable job with young Harry,” Albus replied. “The boy completed the exams in record time. Minerva was most impressed with his Transfiguration skills, as she remembered that as an eleven-year-old Harry had not been very proficient in her classes and I do not believe I have seen a more magnificent _Protego_ charm.”

“Transfiguration‘s a natural talent for Dumbledores, Albus, as ye know. T’were nothing to teach the lad that. As I told ole’ Snape, the boy is a natural when it comes ter magic. Weren’t a thing I showed the lad that he didn’t pick up straight away. Though I admit the glow of Harry’s _Protego_ would blind a dragon! Whether that be coming from his fae side or not, I’d not be knowing.” Aberforth leaned back in his chair, taking a large sip of the fine tea. “He had troubles in the beginning, controlling his self. The new powers and what not. But he’s quick and bright, absorbed all that I could show ‘im and more. Loved ter be readin, he did. Always had his nose in a book, reading ahead o’ the lessons, asking questions at a never ending pace.” The man smiled indulgently in remembrance. “He’s a fine boy, Albus.”

“He is that, dear brother.” Albus sighed wearily. “I must admit no end of relief that he has been safe and cared for these past years.” Albus hesitated, and his hand shook slightly, causing the tea cup he was holding to rattle against the saucer. “Harry's disappearance has weighed heavily on my mind. I – I fear that I once again failed to protect a child that needed my protection,” he confessed.

“Yeh did what you thought best, Albus, though I must admit I don’t rightly know what ye were thinking at the time.” Aberforth leaned forward looking directly into his brother’s eyes. “Why’d ya send the lad there, Albus?”

Albus rested his head against the back of his chair. For a long moment, he said nothing, then he quietly began, “When Voldemort disappeared back then, it was truly pandemonium. Fudge was demanding the boy be turned over to the Ministry immediately, Death Eaters had already attacked the Longbottoms, and I feared they would stop at nothing to find Harry,” Aberforth nodded his head in agreement, “Black had confessed and was thrown into Azkaban, and I feared that Voldemort was not truly gone. I had to act quickly to safeguard the boy. Petunia Dursley was Harry’s only living relative, and I had deduced that it was Harry’s parents' sacrifice that had saved their child. I felt my only option was to use their sacrifice, Lily’s sacrifice.”

“You invoked a blood bond,” Aberforth stated simply. “Where his mother’s blood dwelt --”

“Yes,” Albus interrupted. “Where Lily’s blood dwelt, neither Voldemort nor his followers could harm Harry as long as he resided with his mother’s blood. Petunia Dursley sealed the bond when she accepted Harry into her home, thus making the bond irrevocable.

“I must confess that I had hoped that the Dursleys would give Harry a happy and loving home. That was not to be.” Albus shook his head sadly. “When he arrived at Hogwarts, Harry was smaller than I would have liked, thinner and more timid, but he was alive, and at the time, that was all I could have hoped for. At least, that is what I told myself.” Albus glanced dully at his brother. “I fear that once again I failed to realise the damage such an unloving environment could do to a child. Only luck, this time, seemed to be on my side. Harry had not held the deep resentment that Tom Riddle had in his time.” Albus leaned forward, a sudden desperation in his movements. “Believe me, if there had been a Potter alive that I could have attached the sacrificial magic to I would have, Aberforth. I foolishly hoped that Petunia would learn to love her sister’s son. That she would overcome her resentment and truly care for a small child in need. I was wrong, and so once again, I failed to protect a child.”

Aberforth reached out and grasped his brother’s hand. “Surely you don’t blame yerself fer Tom Riddle?!”

Albus hung his head dejectedly. “If I had only realised sooner, Aberforth,” he said sadly, “then perhaps I could have stopped him!”

“Don’t be a fool, Albus!” Aberforth declared. “Tom Riddle was damaged afore you ever knew he existed! And don’t be forgetting that he was a Marvolo! Mad as hatters they were, the lot of them! You can’t save everyone, Albus!”

“But, if I had only taken more of an interest in Tom Riddle when he came to Hogwarts,” Albus insisted, “I might have turned the boy around. After I visited Tom in that orphanage I _knew_ there was something not right about the boy!”

“He were a Slytherin, Albus.”

“That means nothing!” Albus hissed angrily.

“I don’t mean it that way! You were head o’ Gryffindor, Albus, not Slytherin! Ye weren’t Headmaster then. It would’ve caused Riddle more trouble if’n yeh had taken an interest in him back then! His Slytherin mates never would’a allowed it! Ole Slughorn would’a had his nose right out o’joint if’n you’da taken the lad under yer wing. Weren’t Tom a favourite a’ his then?” Albus nodded reluctantly. “It were no fault of yer doin’, Albus Dumbledore, and I don’t want ter hear you sayin so ever again! Tom Marvolo Riddle were a bad ‘un right from the get go. There weren’t a soul alive that could’a helped that boy by the time her were eleven! That’s got naught to do with you, Albus! You didn’t know the lad existed afore then!”

Aberforth gently squeezed his brother’s hand. “You can’t save ‘em all, Albus. Truth be told, ye’ve saved more than lost.”

Albus’ eyes were glistening when he looked into his brother’s face. “Thank you,” he said quietly. “I believe I’m getting melancholy in my dotage.” 

Aberforth chuckled lightly, patting Albus’ hand as he let go and leaned back into the cushion of his chair.

“Harry was up here just before you came in,” he told Aberforth. “I wished to apologise to the boy in person. I must admit that while he does bear a striking resemblance to James Potter, he is his mother’s son through and through.”

Aberforth smiled at the Headmaster then. “He is that, ain’t he. He and Lily would’a driven poor James mad!” Both men laughed. “Harry’s a right good lad, Albus.”

“Remarkable, I would say.” Albus shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “Harry forgave me without a second thought. I fear I shall have to work harder at achieving forgiveness from his adopted mother.” Aberforth grinned at that. “May I ask how long you and Gyre-Carlin have been acquainted?”

Aberforth’s grin became brighter at the question. “I met Carlin when I was at Hogwart’s first year.” Albus’ eyes widened in surprise. “You know me, Albus, always wanderin about. I never was one fer followin the rules. I took off inter the forest a’fore you could blink, nearly got meself skewered by a centaur. Carlin intervened. Saved me. We’ve been friends since. T’was why I moved to Hogsmeade in the first place, after all what happened at home.”

“She’s an extraordinary woman, I must admit.”

“Aye, a formidable foe to those she calls enemy and an unshakeable ally to those she befriends.”

“Indeed. You must be high in her esteem for her to have asked you to teach young Harry.”

Aberforth gave his brother a hard look. “I won’t be apologisin' fer not telling you all I knew, Albus. Carlin is a dear friend and I don’t betray a friend. Truth is she’s been honest with all she’s told ye, Albus.” Aberforth glanced away staring out the window as the room darkened and the torches lit. “Harry were in a terrible way, even when they returned from the Seelie Court. It took months afore the lad were able to do more ‘an sit up in bed. But Carlin and Mab were right determined that the boy would live and live well. What they accomplished is not short of a miracle when I think back on it.”

“Then I truly owe her and the Daoine Sìth my gratitude.” Albus stood, his joints creaking. “I shall do all in my power to protect Harry and see that nothing ever again interferes with his happiness, Aberforth. This I do swear. I owe that much to James and Lily but most especially to Harry himself. Though he has forgiven me, I am afraid I have yet to quite forgive myself. Beginning today, I shall endeavour to have earned Harry Potter’s forgiveness.” Albus walked to stand beside his brother’s chair, looking down his crooked nose he allowed himself to smile briefly at his younger brother. “I also owe you a great debt, Aberforth, one that I cannot ever imagine repaying, but I shall once again endeavour to do so.”

“Nonsense, Albus,” Aberforth intoned affectionately.

“No – no, I insist,” Albus held his hand out to his brother, “thank you, Aberforth, for helping Harry when I could not. Thank you for guiding him and teaching him when I was unable.” 

Aberforth grasped the Headmaster’s hand. “You’re welcome, Albus.”

The two brothers shook hands briefly before Albus, displaying strength one would not expect, pulled Aberforth out of his chair. “Now, come, brother, join us for dinner in the Great Hall and let us discuss the possibility of you perhaps teaching a class or two…”

Aberforth laughed heartily as he followed his brother out of the office.


End file.
